Is it really the best?

First, the ingredients. You’ll need a 28-ounce can of whole, peeled tomatoes; one peeled, halved onion; and 5 tablespoons of butter. (Yes, 5 whole tablespoons of butter.) You’ll also want a pinch or two of salt.

Put everything together in a single pot and set it to simmer over medium heat on the stove for 45 minutes, uncovered. Give it the occasional stir. And that’s it. After the 45 minutes is up, toss out the onion halves, and pour the sauce over your favorite pasta. Easy.

Hazan died in 2013. Her husband and translator (she wrote in Italian), Victor Hazan, explained how the sauce came to be in an interview with Epicurious in 2016: “Marcella was a genius when it came to taste. She had an immediate understanding about how flavor affects a dish. She asked herself, ‘Why chop an onion? Why saute? I’m going to put the onion, tomato, and butter together and forget about it.’ “