• Good tasting extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• Generous 1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes with their liquid
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Make the Sauce: Lightly film a straight-sided, 12-inch saut é pan with the olive oil. Over medium heat, gently cook the onion until tender and translucent. Add the saffron and saut é until fragrant, 30 seconds to one minute.

2. Add the tomatoes and their juice, crushing them with your hands as they go into the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes have lost their raw taste and have thickened in the bottom of the pan. Taste for salt and pepper and thin with water as needed.

Keeps up to 3 days covered in the refrigerator, and freezes for 3 months. For use in the Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi with Saffron Tomato Sauce recipe.