Marinara Sauce
This sauce is great as a stand alone, but we usually add our meatballs for spaghetti or hero sandwiches.
Use high quality canned tomatoes for the best results. Here’s a great article on The Kitchn about their whole canned tomatoes taste test.
Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 28-ounce cans whole, peeled tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 large spanish onion
- 1 large carrot
- 1 stalk celery
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons capers rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup white wine
- Kosher salt to taste
- ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a sieve over a medium non-reactive sauce pot, strain the tomatoes of their juice and reserve juice into the sauce pan.
- Add the sherry vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, oregano and basil to the tomato juice in the sauce pan.
- Stir and cook over high heat.
- Once bubbles begin to form on the surface, reduce to a simmer.
- Allow liquid to reduce by 1/2 or until liquid has thickened to a loose syrup consistency.
- Squeeze each tomato thoroughly to ensure most seeds are removed. Set the tomatoes aside.
- Cut carrot, onion, and celery into uniform sizes and combine with olive oil and garlic in a non-reactive roasting pan over low heat.
- Sweat the mirepoix until the carrots are tender and the onion becomes translucent, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and capers to the roasting pan.
- Place roasting pan on the middle rack of the oven and broil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Tomatoes should start to brown slightly on edges with light caramelization.
- Remove the pan from the broiler. Place the pan over 2 burners on the stove. Add the white wine to the tomatoes and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes over medium heat.
- Put the tomatoes into a deep pot or bowl and add the reduced tomato liquid to the tomatoes. Blend to desired consistency and adjust seasoning.