Classic Basil Marinara
Save Your Sauce! When the sauce cools, divide the big batch into 2 to 3 quart-size resealable plastic bags. They don't take up as much room in the freezer as plastic containers, and they're easier to defrost in the microwave (place the bag in a bowl first, and be sure to open the bag a little so the sauce can breathe while it thaws). Plus, if you don't need the whole bag of sauce, you can just place the bag in the bowl and run cold water over it for 10 minutes or so until it just begins to thaw. Then break off as much as you need and transfer it to a pot to warm up, whole rezipping the bag and returning the rest to the freezer.
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 10 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
- 2 large sprigs fresh oregano
- 2 large yellow onions, finely diced
- 3 quarts (#10 can) crushed or diced tomatoes (or eight 14-ounce cans)
- 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1-1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Step 1
Make the Sauce: Heat the oil over medium-low heat in a large pot and add the garlic, basil and oregano. Cook until the herbs are simmering and the oil is infused with their flavor, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the onions and increase the heat to medium, cooking until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomatoes and the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have completely broken down and the sauce is thick, about 1 hour.
Divide and Store: Cool the store to room temperature, remove and discard the oregano sprigs, and then divide into 4 quart-size zip-top bags (you'll get 3 bags with 4 cups in each, and 1 bag with 2 cup). Refrigerate for up for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months (if freezing, place freezer bags on their side on a baking sheet so they freeze flat for easy stacking and storage).
VARIATION - Black Olive and Caper Puttanesca: Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. of rinsed capers, 1/3 cup of pitted and chopped black olives (preferably an oil-cured variety), and 1 thinly sliced garlic clove. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes. Add 2 cups of marinara sauce and cook until warmed through.