Homemade Goodness of Marinara.......

I *love* to make my own Marinara sauce. There's just something about the thick tomato sauce simmering on the stove that makes my day. There's nothing better than a pot of pasta with some garlic bread for a hearty weekend supper, pure comfort indeed.
I usually make my own sauce over the weekend when I have more time to really prep for it, and when you simmer it for as long as you can, it is worth it.

Here is my recipe.

Ingredients:

•  3 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 4-5 fresh Basil leaves, and some parsley leaves-chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced ( use less if you'd like) Reserve 1-2 cloves aside.
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 finely diced onion, 2 diced celery, 1 diced green pepper
• I also added a couple pinches of sugar to cut down on the acidity

DIRECTIONS

In a blender, place Italian tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.

In a large skillet over medium heat saute the finely chopped onion and garlic in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the celery and green peppers and let it cook until you see the oil leave the sides of the pan.
Add the blended tomatoes and stir well. Check for seasoning and add some sugar. Let it simmer for 30 minutes and add some fresh Basil which has been chopped finely to the sauce. Grate the reserved 1-2 cloves of garlic straight into the sauce. Omit this if you don't like the taste of garlic.
Cover and let the sauce cook for another 30-45 mins or even more on low heat.  Serve over your favorite recipe! I serve this with Spaghetti and Penne most of the time.


For a change, add a 1/2 cup of good quality red wine to the sauce for a deeper flavor. You can also make this sauce without the green peppers, celery and onions. Just use oil and garlic for a lighter sauce. Blend some heavy cream and fresh Parmesan cheese at the end to make a blush sauce. You can experiment with whatever you like and come up with your own favorite recipe!
Enjoy it.