Pizza-Riffic Sauce

This sauce is truly pizza-riffic.  It is from a book that Maceo checked out of the library when he was young.  He made this and it was truly memorable.  I love it!!!

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c. minced onion

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 -14 1/2 oz. tomato sauce

1/4 c. water

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Heat the olive oil in the sauce pan.  Add the garlic and onion and cook over low heat.  Stir often and cook until the onion is almost transparent.  Keep the heat low so the garlic doesn't brown.  Add the tomato paste and stir until it is blended in.  Add the tomato sauce, water, herbs, sugar, salt, and pepper.  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.  Turn down the heat and let the mixture cook over low heat for 5 minutes.  The sauce will get thicker as it cooks.

Here is a variation although I must admit that it has not been tested:  Make the sauce with fresh tomatoes.  Instead of a can of tomato sauce, use 2 large, very ripe tomatoes.  Dice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch pieces.  Thicken the sauce by increasing the cooking time to 10 minutes.