If you are concerned about the addition of sugar in this recipe and you can exclude it. It is there to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and wine, but if you’re squeamish, remove it — or add just a pinch. My nod to making the recipe a bit healthier is to use raw or turbinado sugar instead of white sugar. (There is no science behind that but it makes me feel better.)

If you don’t have tomato purée or crushed tomatoes, you can use two large cans of plum tomatoes. Simply add them to the blender and purée before adding them to the saucepan.

Flavor Boost: If you have Parmesan rinds on hand (I store mine in the freezer), toss them in the sauce to add a deeper flavor. Remove the rind when the sauce is done.

Restaurant tip: You know this already, but restaurant pasta tastes so good because of all the butter. For a slightly more decadent dish, do this. Put your desired amount of sauce in a saucepan. Add drained pasta to the sauce. Throw in a tablespoon or half tablespoon or teaspoon of real butter. Turn on the heat to medium and stir for one to two minutes. Enjoy.