PHOTO PROVIDED Chef Loretta Paganini

A quick and easy tomato sauce that can be made in 20 minutes or less. You are not dreaming, this is it. Toss it with your favorite pasta and magic will be happening at you dinner table. Makes 3-4 cups. (Chef tip: Use red ripe tomatoes for best results.)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely minced

1/4 cup carrot, grated

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 cup tomato sauce

2 cups ripe Italian plum tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced (concasse)

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a six-quart stock pot, saute onion, carrot and garlic in the olive oil until onion is transparent, about five minutes.

Add prepared tomatoes concasse, tomato sauce and pepper flakes. Cook at medium heat for 20 minutes or until reduced. Add basil. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.

Serve over pasta.