This is one of my husband's favorite dishes. I've used canned marinara sauce before but it's a little too sour for me so this time I made my own version with a little tweak. It's pretty easy to make at home. Ready?
Marinara Sauce Ingredients
- 1 28 oz canned whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- sprig of basil and oregano
- kalamata olives (added)
- salt and pepper
I’ve learned from my travel to Italy that the secret to their cooking is the use of fresh ingredients (from the backyard) and time (slow cooking)! Garlic, onion, tomatoes, olive oil, salt & fresh basil are all you need for mind-blowing sauce. Let it simmer for a little bit - 30 minutes is not enough time for that mouthwatering marinara sauce!
So why am I using canned tomatoes instead of fresh ones? One, fresh tomatoes are pain to peel and two, using canned tomatoes makes marinara sauce simple and easy to make. I am trying to get as close to using raw ingredients but sometimes, time is just not my friend so here I am with a can of whole peeled tomatoes, which is less evil than tomato sauce or diced tomatoes.
- Saut̩ garlic and onion. The secret to making this sauce is to, sweat out your onion for 15 minutes over medium heat Рthis will make your onions sweeter and softer. You can begin seasoning by adding salt and pepper. I also add a little bit of red chili flakes for some kick to it.
- Once the onions have caramelized, add the can of whole, peeled tomatoes. You can use a potato masher to crush the tomatoes. Add kalamata olives, partially cover the pot and let it simmer to reduce the liquid from the tomatoes. You want your sauce to have that right consistency. Secret here is to use the starchy pasta water.
- If you notice, I am just now adding fresh basil and a pinch of oregano because these will turn brown and will make them taste muddy! If the sauce is a bit tangy or acidic, you can add a pinch or tow of sugar to calm it down.
- If you are vegetarian, you can stop here but if you’re like my husband who loves his doze of meat then you can also add sausage or meatballs in there.
- Lastly, don’t forget to add your favorite cheese! I love pecorino but I didn’t have any so I use Parmesan instead.
Pasta - I use spinach and chive linguini. It says linguini but the size is more like of the fettucini.
Buon Appetito!!
Posted in Daily Meal, Main Entree