Step 1

Sautè the onion, garlic, and herbs. Place a medium sized pot over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, basil leaves (leave them whole), and oregano. Sautè the mixture for 1-2 minutes.

Step 2

Add and reduce the wine. Pour the red wine into the pot and allow it to reduce by half, about 3-5 minutes.

Step 3

Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer. Pour the crushed tomatoes and red pepper flakes into the pot. Stir the mixture and reduce it to a simmer. Add the sugar. Allow the sauce to simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Step 4

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted (about 1 tbsp of salt) water to a roaring boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Save 1 cup of the pasta water.

Step 5

Add the pasta water. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water to the sauce. Add up to 1 cup, until desired consistency is reached.

Step 6

Serve. Toss the pasta in the red wine sauce, then serve with your favorite toppings like parmesan cheese or more fresh basil. Mangia!