Such Simple Sauce

My boyfriend has 4 vowels in his last name.  That is pretty much the extent of my Italian-ness. 

And yet, despite my very Scandinavian blood, I've tried over the past few years to "master" the red sauce (marinaaaaara, if you will) and always add tons of things to bulk it up.  But then I came across this recipe at Smitten Kitchen and it has forever changed the way I make sauce.  Not only is it simple, but it is so super good.  Please note how many ingredients there are:

FOUR! THERE ARE ONLY FOUR F'ING INGREDIENTS! 

1- 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes 

1 sweet onion, cut in half, peeled

5 tablespoons of butter

some salt. not a lot. 

The knife is NOT an ingredient, please don't make that mistake, it would be embarrassing for you. 

THAT IS IT!

Put the ingredients (minus the salt) in the pot and BLAZAOW! That is basically all you do!

Bring to a simmer on medium heat, then lower and leave at a slow simmer for about 45 minutes.  Stir every once in a while, and smush (not the Jersey Shore type smush, that is disgusting) the tomatoes with a wooden spoon once they become soft. 

Near the end, the sauce takes on a beautiful shimmery sheen, and you can sprinkle in the salt. 

Now, the recipe says to just DISCARD the onions.  Oh Mio Dio! that hurt my heart.  

Instead, I pulled them out and ate a few slices with a side of red chard sauteed in EVOO and garlic.  Try it, you will thank me.  

Spoon the sauce over pasta (sidenote: there was a man on our staff a year ago from Rome, who, I kid you not, stormed into my office one day rapidly speaking Italian with his hands just flying all over the place, furious that no one in America salts their pasta water!! So, for his sake, please remember to do so).  You could top with some parm, but honestly, it doesn't even need it. 

Seriously, how easy was that?