No, it's actually pretty old. Marcella Hazan's special sauce. The original recipe called for a 28 ounce can of good quality whole peeled tomatoes, half an onion (whole), and six tablespoons of butter. (And salt to taste.) You put it all in a pan and cook it down until it's the desired consistency. You'll probably have to partially cover it at some point; it tends to splatter. Remove the onion before serving.
It's a classic, and it's very good. I have my own version. I chop up eight or ten garlic cloves in a mini processor. Put the garlic in a 12" skillet with high sides and a lit. Sauté the garlic in a very little olive oil till it turns golden, and add a 35 ounce can of Cento Italian peeled tomatoes. Break the tomatoes up with tongs or a spoon, and add salt.
Turn down the heat to low, and cover. When the tomatoes are close to the consistency you want, add a little sugar or Splenda, and then five or six tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut in chunks. Stir in the butter; that will emulsify the sauce. When it's exactly the consistency you want, check for salt and cook and dress your pasta.
You can add dried herbs at any time, and/or fresh herbs at the end. It makes a fair amount, so you can set aside what you won't be using immediately and store either in the fridge or the freezer. Naturally when you're using the leftovers, you can first sauté some mushrooms, or sausage or heavy cream or whatever to change up the sauce.
It's easy and habit-forming.
