Marinara Sauce
Photo: Kim Scarborough, CC BY-SA 2.0
Marinara is a quick southern Italian tomato sauce with no meat in it, and this version builds it on a generous pour of olive oil. The onion, garlic, thyme, basil and red pepper soften first, so the tomatoes join a base that is already sweet and fragrant. A spoonful of sugar tempers the acidity. Legend ties the sauce to Neapolitan sailors, who valued how well it keeps.
Instructions
Pour the olive oil into a saucepan and warm it over medium heat until it shimmers.
Add the diced onion and sliced garlic. Sauté for about 2 minutes, until the onion turns translucent.
Stir in the thyme, basil and diced red pepper. Cook for 5 minutes more, stirring now and then.
Add the hand-crushed tomatoes and the sugar. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn the heat down so the sauce barely simmers.
Let it simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have melded.
Season with salt to taste. Ladle the sauce hot over pasta, seafood or rice.
Make it personal.
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