Essential Marinara Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• In a food processor place Italian tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
• In a large skillet over medium heat saute the finely chopped onion in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the blended tomato sauce and white wine.
• Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Steps:

• In a stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add tomatoes, water and 1/2 cup basil; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until tomatoes are completely broken down and soft, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally., Press tomato mixture through a food mill into a large bowl; discard skins and seeds. Return tomato mixture to stockpot; add 1/2 cup of remaining basil, oregano and remaining garlic. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, 3-1/2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste and remaining 1/4 cup of basil; season with salt and pepper. , Add 1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice to each of 3 hot 1-1/2-pint jars. Ladle hot mixture into jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 40 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute garlic until aromatic and tender. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano, parsley, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese, bay leaves and onion powder. Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 40 minutes.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Add butter or ghee and olive oil to a saute pan.
• Add onions and saute until translucent.
• Add garlic and cook one minute.
• Add undrained can of crushed tomatoes.
• Add spices and sugar free sweetener (if needed).
• Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• You will need a large saucepan to make this recipe.
• Storage of homemade condiments and spices, and Sauces Because homemade spices and condiments do not contain any preservatives, it is important to store them properly. Non-reactive (glass) containers with tight-fitting lids are a must. If I am making a dry spice, I love to use old spice bottles that I have run through the dishwasher. If I am doing homemade sauces, I love using Weck jars. They are all glass, come in all sizes and shapes, and have excellent leakproof lids. If you shop online, you can go to Amazon, and type in "Weck Jars" and you will find a ton of them. Dry spices should be kept in a cool space, away from sunlight (spice cabinet), and sauces, in most cases, should be stored in the fridge. If properly stored, this recipe should last 8 - 10 weeks in the fridge, or several months, if frozen.
• Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• Add the oil to a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Add the diced bacon, and slowly cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon crisps, about 10 - 12 minutes.
• Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and reserve for another recipe.
• Add the onions to the bacon grease and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 - 4 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds.
• Add the tomatoes and sauce, then bring up to a light boil.
• Add the basil, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste.
• Reduce heat and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, about 40 - 45 minutes.
• Do a final tasting for proper seasoning.
• Allow the sauce to cool slightly, then work in batches and blend until smooth.
• Use immediately, or properly store in the fridge or freezer until needed.
• PLATE/PRESENT
• Use any time you want a great tasting Italian sauce. Enjoy.
• Keep the faith and keep cooking.

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• Use a large skillet for this recipe. The additional surface area will aid in evaporation, and thicken the sauce in less time.
• I am going to ask you to trust me on this recipe. It requires the best canned tomatoes you can get. I am recommending San Marzano (whole or diced), D.O.P certified. if possible. If you need some help in selecting the right brand, I created a recipe post with some excellent suggestions: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/soup/soup-other-soup/cooking-class-the-best-canned-tomatoes.html
• You will find that basil is used in many Southern Italian recipes; while oregano is used more, as you travel North. If you substitute fresh for dried, then double the amounts to 1 teaspoon each. Or, just try one or the other, and see which one you like the best.
• This will probably freak some folks out, but when I was cooking in Naples, we would add 1 anchovy to the cooking garlic, and break it up as it cooked. It adds a bit of "umami," upping the flavor but without any hint of anchovy flavor to the finished product.
• Do not like using wine in your cooking, no worries, substitute an equal amount of water.
• If you are using whole canned tomatoes, you will need to dump them into a bowl, and then crush them with your hands.
• My Aunt Josephine used to use a razor blade to thinly slice the garlic... Yes, just like in the movie Goodfellas.
• Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• Add the olive oil and the sliced garlic to a cold skillet and bring up to medium heat.
• Chef's Note: We are doing this to prevent the garlic from browning and beginning with a cold pan helps to control the process.
• When the garlic looks like this, it is ready.
• As soon as the garlic begins to sizzle, add the tomatoes. Then add the wine to the can, swirl it around (to pick up the last tomato bits), and add it to the pan.
• Chef's Note: If the garlic begins to brown before you add the tomatoes, start over, the sauce will be bitter. Slightly golden is okay... brown is a no, no.
• Add the remainder of the ingredients and bring up to a vigorous simmer.
• Chef's Tip: One chef that I worked with told me to pretend I was pan frying the sauce... Whatever.
• Continue to simmer for, 5 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste, and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 - 15 additional minutes.
• If you want a smoother sauce, add to a food processor, fitted with an S-blade, and blend until you like what you see.
• PLATE/PRESENT
• Use on all things Italian. Enjoy.
• Keep the faith, and keep cooking.