This basic tomato sauce is easy to make and easy to adapt for so many tomato-based dishes, including bolognese and chilli.

Ingredients:

• I large onion, diced
• 1 28 oz chopped tinned tomatoes
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2-3 cloves crushed garlic 
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Fresh ground pepper

Method:

1. In a large saucepan sauté onion over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add garlic and oregano and heat through for 1-2 minutes.
3. If you are wanting a rich beef sauce, add your minced beef at this point, and cook on medium-high till browned, 4-5 minutes.
4. Add chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar, bay leaves and pepper.
5. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 40-45 minutes, till minced beef is thoroughly cooked. Otherwise 20-25 minutes if just the basic tomato sauce.
6. To turn into chilli, add 2 tbsp chilli powder when browning the minced beef or beef cubes, and ½ tsp of chilli flakes to add an extra kick.

Note, you can also add a can of drained tuna to the basic tomato sauce and liven it up with a pinch of chilli flakes for a kick.