Simple Red Sauce for Meatballs | La Cucina Grandinetti

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 or 3 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
• 2 cans (29 ounces/each) whole tomatoes (I use canned whole tomatoes in tomato juice and not puree. The can should say "not from concentrate.")
• 3-4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1-1/2 cups water
• salt to taste
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar to counter citric acid in tomatoes
• fresh basil