Homemade Winter Marinara

While tomatoes fresh from the garden undoubtedly make the best homemade tomato sauces, access to San Marzano plum tomatoes in a can are a blessing during months where good quality, fresh and local produce is unavailable. They're sweet and robust, contain considerably less seeds, and tend to be less acidic than other varieties of tomatoes. This means they'll require less sugar to make a healthy, delicious sauce! Carrots, onion, garlic, dry red wine and earthy, dried herbs like oregano and basil round out the sauce, and a slow simmer melds all of the flavors together. While working in catering, we used to make tomato sauces by the gallon, simmering it all day long and then storing it in the freezer for future events. This is a great recipe for making ahead, portioning into smaller amounts using freezer-safe Ziploc bags, taking out only as much as you need so you have homemade sauce anytime!

Ingredients

• 4 (28 oz) Jars San Marzano Whole, Peeled Tomatoes or crushed, if preferred
• 2 Medium Carrots peeled and diced
• 1 Large Onion finely minced
• 4 Whole Garlic Cloves peeled and finely minced
• 2 tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1 C. Dry Red Wine I used Bordeaux, but Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Pinot Noir would be perfect
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt plus, additional for sautéing vegetables
• ½ tsp. Freshly Cracked Black Pepper plus, additional for sautéing vegetables
• Dried Basil
• Granulated White Sugar to taste
• Olive Oil

Instructions

Step 1: Put on a full kitchen apron, if desired, and gather all of your ingredients. Prep your carrots, onion and garlic. Set aside.

Place a fine-mesh metal strainer over a large mixing bowl, and drain your tomatoes, collecting the liquid in the bowl. Using clean hands, remove the center core of the tomatoes (discard) and gently squash the flesh of the tomatoes (this is where wearing an apron comes in handy to protect your clothing!) You'll probably need to do this in batches, so use a separate mixing bowl for the prepared tomatoes as you work.

Reserve one cup of the tomato liquid from the mixing bowl and pour into a liquid measuring cup. Set aside. The remaining liquid may be discarded or saved for another purpose, as desired.

Step 2: In a large stock pot over medium heat, add a few swirls of olive oil around, add the diced carrots, and season lightly with a little salt and pepper. Sauté for about ten minutes, until the carrots have softened.

Step 3: To the pot, add in the minced onions, another pinch of salt and pepper (culinary tip: season as you go!) and sauté until onions are translucent in color. Add in the garlic and cook 2-3 additional minutes.

Step 4: Add in the drained tomatoes, stir well, until the steam subsides (this is excess moisture leaving the tomatoes).

Step 5: Add in the reserved tomato liquid and the dry red wine. Bring to a full boil, then lower temperature to medium. Season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper, and dried oregano. Gently crush the dried basil and mix into the sauce. Lower to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for a minimum of one hour but up to two hours.

Step 6: After the sauce has simmered, be sure to taste and adjust for additional seasoning, if needed. If the sauce is slightly acidic, gradually add in a little sugar to taste, but don't be heavy handed (You shouldn't need more than a Tablespoon or so).

Step 7: Using an immersion blender, carefully purée the sauce directly in the pot to a smoother consistency while still leaving a little texture. If you are using a regular blender or food processor, allow the sauce to cool beforehand. Both pieces of equipment will require that the lid be closed in order to function, and hot liquids in a closed space create pressure and are likely to explode, which you'll want to avoid at all costs.

Sauce can be served warm over pasta, or other Italian dishes. If making ahead, cool and store tightly in a covered, glass jar or container (to avoid staining your plastic containers), or keep in freezer-safe Ziploc bags, and store in the freezer until ready to use.

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