Baked Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 kg plum tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon tightly packed fresh oregano leaves
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 red onion, cut into quarters
• 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes + extra for serving, optional
• 450 g spaghetti
• Fresh basil leaves for serving

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 150°C.
2. In a large Dutch oven with a lid, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, garlic, onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to coat with the oil and spices. Bake in the Dutch oven, uncovered, until the tomatoes begin to soften and burst, about 1 hour.
3. Stir and turn the tomatoes, then roast until the tomatoes, garlic, and onion are golden brown and very soft, about 1 more hour. At this point, everything should mash easily with a spoon. Place the pot on the stovetop and cover with a lid.
4. While the tomatoes are simmering, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta. Cook for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain 1 cup of water and drain the pasta in a colander.
5. Add 0.5 cups of the pasta cooking liquid to the tomatoes and blend thoroughly with an immersion blender, tilting the pan slightly if necessary to completely submerge the blender (or transfer everything to a regular blender) and blend until smooth.
6. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat, then add the pasta and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. If the sauce is dry, add more of the pasta cooking water. Serve warm, garnished with basil leaves and red pepper flakes.