Diavolo Sauce

This is a spicy, acidic sauce that is incredibly versatile. You use it to level up an off-the-shelf pasta sauce, but if you add chicken or vegetable stock, it can become a terrific bouillabaisse, and if you add some cream and a little more butter it can puree into a thick tomato soup or bisque.

Ingredients

• olive oil 1-2tbsp
• 4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 onion fine dice
• 2-3 sardines from tin
• 1tbsp tomato paste
• 12 san marzano tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 4-5 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
• 1tsp crushed red pepper flake
• 1tsp calabrian chilis
• 1/2 charred red pepper, sliced

Directions

Heat olive oil until fragrant, add onions, garlic, pepper flakes, and chilis. once onions are translucent, add tomatoes, red pepper and sardines. After 3-4m add tomato paste, let it cook for a minute before stirring. After a good mixing add butter and thyme. Reduce the heat, season with salt to taste, this is ready to use further.

If you're not using with seafood, you can remove the sardines or substitute cooked bacon (and 1tsp of the grease).