Italians are amazing. Especially their grandmothers. And what do they make best? Marinara. Think of those juicy tomatoes. Plump, soft, ripply skin, rosy cheeked..and the the tomatoes aren’t bad either.
So let’s get down to brass tacts and Dutch ovens. Bust out the garlic, basil and imported olive oil..Let’s mangia.
Prep time for my Nonna’s (if I had one) all day marinara; 10 min, Cook time; you guessed it..all day. Or at least 4 hours. Serves a lot. Freeze the leftovers.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup good red wine (I used a meritage*)
- 6 large cloves garlic, peeled, smashed into a paste with flaked salt in a mortar and pestle
- 1 large shallot, diced small
- 3 28oz cans Italian imported San Marzano tomatoes (such as Cento) peeled and left in juice
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, torn
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 tbsp anchovy paste (optional)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1-2 parmesan rinds
- Salt, pepper, cayenne, good Italian olive oil
Tools:
- Dutch oven (or large pot) with fitted lid
- Immersion blender
- Spoon or crusty baguette for tasting:)
Method:
Heat a large dutch oven on med-high heat and add olive oil. Once heated, add shallot until golden brown, about 5 min, stirring as needed.
Add garlic paste and cook another 2 min, stirring consistently not allowing the garlic to burn. Add additional salt and deglaze with wine. Cook the wine for 5 minutes to reduce and remove some alcohol (those are words I’d never thought I’d type).
Add tomatoes along with juices. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne, dried oregano, anchovy and tomato pastes. Bring this mixture to a boil.
Turn the heat down to low, blend until smooth. Now throw in the parm rind and cover with a fitted lid.
Add honey and taste. This step is crucial, not to make the sauce sweet, but to augment the acidic tomatoes. Also add in the bay leaves.
From this point on the sauce can simmer all day or at least 4 hrs. I would advise stirring and tasting every 30-60 minutes. Remove bay leaves.
Once ready to eat, adjust seasonings and add all your fresh herbs. Turn heat off. Serve over anything or as a dip…How about on my Eggplant and Halloumi Napoleons?
*Meritage is a well known Bordeaux blend. If you’re interested in trying a decent bottle for less than 8 dollars, the Trader Joe’s brand out of Paso Robles is delicious.
In the mood for a super simple dinner? Freeze the sauce and use leftovers in my Sangio Sloppy Joes or Ricotta, Herb and Meatball Sliders. This is also the base for so many pastas! Check it out in Eggplant Involtinis or Giant Stuffed Shells with Basil and Ricotta:)
