In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and stir in the chopped garlic. Allow the garlic to simmer for 1-2 minutes but do not let it brown.
Add the crushed tomatoes and water and stir. When the sauce comes to a simmer, add the herbs and whole carrot.
Turn the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the carrot and bay leaf and discard.
Serve the sauce immediately or store for later.
Notes
If you would like to use fresh tomatoes, broil, peel, puree and strain them to prepare them for use. One pound of fresh tomatoes will give you about 2 cups of puree
Adding a whole carrot to the sauce as it simmers will help cut the acidity. If you do not have a carrot, it is okay to skip this ingredient especially if you are using low acid tomatoes for your sauce.