Rebecca Nielsen's Recipe

4 Herb Marinara Sauce

Category: Sauces and marinades

Serves/Makes: 2.5 quarts
Difficulty: 2
Prep/Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium Spanish onions, chopped
4 t fresh minced garlic
4 pounds vine ripened tomatoes, (chopped)
2 14 ounce cans San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes (do not drain)
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 bay leaves
2 full sprigs oregano (leaves removed, chopped)
10 sprigs thyme (do not remove leaves)
2 cups fresh basil leaves (chopped)
Kosher Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Preparation:

In a 3.5 quart dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, heat olive oil and add onions and garlic. Add 1 t kosher salt and 1/2 t black pepper. Cook until onions are soft, about 4 minutes. Then add bay leaves, thyme springs and chopped oregano. Cook an additional 6 minutes.

Add all tomato products and cook over medium-low heat about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in chopped basil and add another 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 t more black pepper. Bring to boil and boil 5 minutes, then turn to simmer and cover pan with splatter screen and simmer for 1 hour, stirring about every 8 minutes. Do not let it scorch.

After hour is up very carefully on lowest speed, put immersion blender in pot and move slowly across bottom of pan and then slowly up and down until sauce is smooth or whatever consistency you prefer.

Taste and add 1 more teaspoon kosher salt or salt to taste and return splatter screen and simmer another 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Sauce should be thick and reduced about 2 inches down. Cool and store in the refrigerator in an air tight container.

Cooks Notes: When I was first experimenting with my own sauce, I just used basil. Then while using the sauce on a pizza, I realized I was missing oregano. So I decided to make a sauce with herbs that would accommodate all pasta sauce uses. While this sauce can be used right away, when you let it set in the fridge for at least 48 hours you will be amazed at the marriage of these 4 herbs and tomatoes.