Substitute red wine for the white wine.Here is your basic tomato sauce, similar to marinara sauce, which is perfect tossed with pasta or as topping for simple broiled or grilled foods.
Makes 6 to 8 servings | Prep time: 20 minutes | Minimum cook time: 4 hours in a medium slow cooker
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 2 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Scrape the mixture into the slow cooker.
2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, 1/2 cup water, oregano, basil, rosemary, and bay leaf to the slow cooker, and stir well. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours, or until vegetables are tender.
3. If cooking on Low, raise the heat to High. Cook sauce, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until slightly thickened. Remove and discard bay leaf, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Note: The sauce can be prepared up to 4 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Variations:
Substitute red wine for the white wine.
Add 1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, and 1/2 pound bay scallops to the slow cooker for the last hour of cooking.