P1011644email1 – 1lb can of tomatoes (or 4-5 fresh tomatoes) puree in food processor

2 – 6oz cans tomato paste

2-4 cloves of garlic (to your preference), minced

1 onion, minced

1 tablespoon basil

1 1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Optional: 1 lb ground beef/turkey, cooked and drained

Saute garlic and onion in a little butter just until onion begins to turn translucent.  Then add all ingredients into large pot and simmer for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.  The longer it simmers, the better.  Taste and make adjustments after the sauce has simmered for an hour or so. 

P1011642emailSee my funky set up?  (please excuse the cluttered stove top… I was cooking up 25 lbs of fresh tomatoes all for marinara sauce at the time.  I was in pure survival mode) If you wrap tinfoil around the top of the pot it keeps the sauce from splattering all over your stove.  I usually wrap the foil around 3/4 of the rim, leaving just enough room to get a wooden spoon in to stir occasionally.  Less mess = less clean up = more time for bon-bons on the couch.

If you want a meat sauce, add ground meat about half way through simmering process.  If sauce is a bit thick, thin it down with some tomato sauce (usually not more than an 8oz can).  Just make sure you simmer it long enough after adding the extra tomato sauce to give it time to meld into the rest of sauce.  We don’t want to taste straight tomato sauce in there.

This sauce with meat added (but not thinned out) is perfect for lasagne.  Stay tuned… that recipe to follow.