Mommas Marinara Sauce Recipes

MOM'S QUICK MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Open cans of tomatoes, pour them into a blender, and puree them. Place them aside.
• In a large saucepot and on low-medium heat, heat olive oil. Add whole garlic cloves and sauté the garlic until they turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.
• Next, turn off the heat, or remove the pot from the heat, and have the cover to the pot nearby.
• Add the red pepper flakes. Then drop all the basil leaves at once and COVER immediately! This will prevent the oil to splash all over the kitchen and onto yourself. After a minute or so, slowly stir the basil. This will infuse the flavors of the basil and red pepper into the oil giving it a strong punch of flavor to the sauce.
• Turn the heat back on. NEXT, add the tomatoes. Cover with a lid and bring the sauce to a low boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer the sauce for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring it occasionally.
• As the sauce thickens, depending on the brand of imported tomatoes, you may need to add some water if it's getting too thick.
• Finally, taste the sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Before serving, fish out the garlic cloves and discard them. Allow the sauce to completely cool before storing it in containers and refrigerate. Can freeze up to 3 weeks.
• Yields: about 2 quarts

CLASSIC MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and crush with your hands. Pour 1 cup water into can and slosh it around to get tomato juices. Reserve.
• In a large skillet (do not use a deep pot) over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add garlic.
• As soon as garlic is sizzling (do not let it brown), add the tomatoes, then the reserved tomato water. Add whole chile or red pepper flakes, oregano (if using) and salt. Stir.
• Place basil sprig, including stem, on the surface (like a flower). Let it wilt, then submerge in sauce. Simmer sauce until thickened and oil on surface is a deep orange, about 15 minutes. (If using oregano, taste sauce after 10 minutes of simmering, adding more salt and oregano as needed.) Discard basil and chile (if using).

MY MOTHER'S MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil. Stir in the onions, carrots, garlic slices, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt, to taste, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and the canned tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon, and mix well. Cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning, then stir in the basil leaves.

MARINARA SAUCE AKA "GRANDMA'S SAUCE"

Steps:

• Brown sausage in separate pan.
• Garlic press the garlic (or mince) and brown in the olive oil in a large pot. When brown, add sliced onion and cook until slightly translucent.
• Add tomatoe paste to onion mixture and mix thoroughly. Add crushed tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper and water and stir well.
• Finally, add sausage (and/or meatballs--see my other recipe) and bring to light boil.
• Once boiling, decrease heat to simmer and cover . Cook on simmer for 3-4 hours stirring occassionly.
• If you can't wait the full 3-4 hours add a dash of sugar and it equals about 1 hour of cooking time.
• Add red wine during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
• Suggestion: Serve over pasta with grated parmesan, salad, and bread -- .

SUNDAY STASH MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium. Cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally and being careful not to let brown, until aromatic, about 3 minutes. Add oregano and stir to combine. Using your hands, crush tomatoes and add to pot along with juices; season with 4 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. pepper.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced slightly, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Do Ahead: Sauce can be made 5 days ahead. Store in an airtight container and chill, or freeze up to 6 months.

MOM'S MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet or sauce pot, on medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until onions are translucent.
• Add can of tomatoes, then fill empty can with water and add to mixture. Stir in paste and fill the empty cans with water and add to the mixture.
• Increase to heat to high and stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then reduce to low heat. Cover half way with lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Cover completely and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.

MAMA'S MARINARA SAUCE AND MEATBALLS

Steps:

• MAMA'S MARINARA SAUCE.
• Cook the garlic and onion in the olive oil in a sauce pot over a medium-low flame, about 10 minutes or until garlic is tender and onions translucent, not brown (this is called "sweating" because it will draw out a lot of moisture and flavor).
• Add all the tomato products. Pour the chicken stock into one of the 28-ounce cans. Fill it the rest of the way with water and add that and the sugar to the pot. Stir and bring to a simmer. Taste and season with red pepper flakes and salt, and cover. Simmer the sauce for about 1 hour. The sauce should be fairly thin but not watery and very smooth. Uncover and simmer for 3 minutes. If it is too thin for your taste, add a little water if it seems thick.
• MAMA'S MEATBALLS.
• Place the chicken stock, onion, garlic, and parsley in a food processor and purée.
• In a large bowl, combine the puréed stock mix, meat, bread crumbs, eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, red pepper flakes, and salt. Combine with both hands until the mixture is distributed evenly. Do not overmix.
• Put a little olive oil on your hands and form the mixture into balls a little larger than golf balls. They should be about ¼ cup each, though if you prefer bigger or smaller, it will only affect the browning time.
• Pour about ½ inch of olive oil into a straight-sided, 10-inch-wide sauté pan and heat over a medium-high flame. Add the meatballs to the pan (working in batches, if necessary) and brown the meatballs well on all sides. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
• While the meatballs are browning, heat the marinara sauce in a stockpot over medium heat. Lift the meatballs out of the sauté pan with a slotted spoon and put them in the marinara sauce. Stir gently. Simmer for one hour.
• Serve with a little extra Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled on top.

MAMA'S MARINARA

Steps:

• Cook the garlic and onion in the olive oil in a sauce pot over a medium-low flame, about 10 minutes or until garlic is tender and onions translucent, not brown (this is called"sweating" because it will draw out a lot of moisture and flavor).
• Add the chili flakes to taste.
• Add all the tomato products.
• Pour the chicken stock into one of the 28-oz cans.
• Fill it the rest of the way with water and add that and the sugar to the pot.
• Stir and bring to a simmer.
• Taste and season with salt and cover.
• Simmer the sauce for about 1 hour (the sauce should be fairly thin, but not watery and very smooth).
• Uncover and simmer for 3 minutes if it is too thin for your taste; add a little water if it seems thick.

MAMA'S MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan on medium-low heat.
• Add garlic and saute gently for about 2-3 minutes.
• Combine tomato paste and water in the saucepan; blend in tomatoes.
• Add fresh parsley.
• Heat over high heat until sauce begins to boil.
• Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.
• Add salt and/or pepper, to taste.
• Serve over hot, cooked pasta.
• Or try as a dipping sauce for breadsticks, pizza crust, fried cheese sticks or vegetables.