Marinara Sauce
Submitted by: Marcia
Attributed to: America's Test Kitchen
Category: Sauce
Description: Classic Marinara can be used as a dipping sauce or over any pasta, with or without meat.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Servings: Sauces at least 1 pound of pasta
Difficulty rating: 3
Ingredients:
2 (28 oz) cans whole tomatoes, packed in juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 cup dry red wine, such as Chianti or Merlot
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 teaspoon sugar, as needed to counter acidity
Special tools/utensils needed:
food processor or immersion blender
Directions:
Pour tomatoes and juice into a strainer set over a large bowl. Open tomatoes with your hands and remove the fibrous cores; let the tomatoes drain excess liquid, about 5 minutes. Remove 3/4 cup tomatoes from the strainer and set aside. Reserve 2 1/2 cups tomato juice and discard the remainder.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden around the edges, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and cook, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes from the strainer to the skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring every minute until the liquid has evaporated and tomatoes begin to stick to the bottom of the pan and brown fond forms around the pan edges, about 10-12 minutes.
Add the wine to the skillet and cook until thick and syrupy, about 1 minute. Add the reserved tomato juice and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally and loosening browned bits until the sauce is thick, about 8-10 minutes.
Transfer sauce to a food processor (or transfer to a sauce pan and insert an immersion blender) and add the reserved tomatoes; process until slightly chunky, about eight 2 second pulses. Return to the skillet and add the basil and extra virgin olive oil. Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste.