1 lb. pasta, cooked al denté
1 lb. fresh ripe plum tomatoes, peeled (or canned)
12 black oil cured olives, pitted (optional)
4 - 6 flat anchovy fillets
1 tbsp. butter (optional - no substitutes)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
6 large basil leaves, minced (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1 green or red bell pepper (optional)
4-5 large cloves garlic, minced
pinch of red hot pepper flakes
1 tbsp. fresh Italian parsley, minced
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
other ingredients*

This sauce is prepared more quickly if all the ingredients are coarsely chopped in a food processor, but this may also be done by hand.

Sauté chopped onion in olive oil in butter until lightly colored. Add whole cloves of garlic and sauté until lightly golden and soft; mash the garlic into the olive oil using a fork.

Add chopped ingredients (except parsley and mushrooms) and simmer over medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the parsley and mushrooms halfway through the cooking.

Variation: Chopped (ground meat contains too much fat) meat may be added to the sauce and the anchovies omitted; good choices are Canadian bacon, ham, prosciutto, pork, lean salt pork or pancetta. Sauté with the onions and garlic in the first step and simmer the sauce 5 minutes longer.