PJ, I too was saddened to hear of Marcella's passing. I love her book. I have made this tomato sauce for a few years, and have tweaked it to "our" perfection. I finely chop one onion and finely grate a carrot. Saute in a little olive oil until slightly browned. Then I add a can of tomatoes, and three tablespoons of the butter. I simmer on low for about an hour, then add the remaining two tablespoons of butter. Depending on the acidity of the tomatoes, I sometimes add a bit more butter...which helps to "tame" the tomatoes. Then I toss with a pound of pasta, top with freshly grated parm cheese and sometimes (if I have it on hand) tear up a few fresh basil leaves for garnish. I have found that my toddlers love this recipe as it is a bit sweeter and not spicy. When I make this for play dates, the kids devour it! My teenagers love it, and due to the fact I have two teenage sons with never-ending stomachs, I usually double the recipe and serve your fabulous crunchy bread along side. Adding the carrot deletes the need for sugar, and adds a bit more veggies! I hope you give it a try, it is delicious! Thanks again PJ!

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