The secret to making this sauce taste incredible isn’t a complicated spice blend. It’s patience. Let it simmer for even five minutes. The paste darkens, the flavors marry, and the sauce becomes less “tomato paste” and more “heirloom sauce made by a rustic Italian nonna.”
Don’t skip the taste test either. Dip a spoon in, blow on it (safety first!), and adjust. Too acidic? More sugar or a pinch of baking soda. Too thick? Add a splash of water. Too thin? Let it simmer a little longer. You are the sculptor of this saucy masterpiece.