MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS · VEGAN, GF, DF
All good Italian girls make marinara sauce from scratch and I am no exception. I don’t skimp on the oil, which adds a lot of flavor. If tomatoes are not in season, I’ll use organic tomatoes sold in glass jars. Good-quality marinara sauce can be tossed with pasta, as a base for pizza, poured over meatballs, and stirred into rice or polenta.
¼ cup unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced, or 3 (18-ounce) (I like Jovial tomatoes in glass) or 2 (28-ounce) containers crushed tomatoes
1 (7-ounce) jar tomato paste (optional, for a richer, thicker sauce)
Sea salt
A few leaves (a small handful) fresh basil, thinly sliced
1. In a medium-size saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and sauté gently until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, if using, plus two generous pinches of salt, and bring to a simmer. Cover the sauce and simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
3. Puree about half of the sauce with an immersion blender or pass through a food mill. (You can also blend half the sauce in a blender or food processor.) Put the sauce back into the saucepan.
4. Add the basil and simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
5. The marinara sauce can be kept refrigerated for up to 1 week and can be frozen for up to 3 months.