Quick Marinara Sauce

This is a follow-up from last week, since the Polpetti and Spaghetti recipe calls for marinara sauce. Now it's perfectly okay to use store bought sauces under certain circumstances, but if you're going to go to the trouble of making meatballs, let alone my favorite meatball, one should probably learn to make sauce from scratch. I had visions of a pot sitting on the stove all day long, simmering away with some fantastic tomato sauce in it... but with a two year old at home as well as a crazy work schedule I never seem to have the time for that to come together. Luckily Giada was kind enough to include a recipe in one of her cook books that gives you great flavor without the time and mess of letting a pot sit all day.

I took her advice and portion the sauce into 1 and 2 cup servings and throw them in the freezer for when I need them. This way I almost always have some on hand when needed. Unfortunately I do not have any pictures to accompany this recipe, but if you look at the picture of the Polpetti and Spaghetti this is the sauce you see.

Makes about 6 cups

2 (28 oz) Cans of Whole Tomatoes in Juice
1 Bunch of Fresh Basil, stemmed
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Small Onions, Finely Chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, Finely Chopped
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 Teaspoon Sugar
Salt and Pepper to Taste

In a blender, puree the tomatoes and their juice with the basil until almost smooth. Set the tomato puree aside.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, maybe ten minutes. Then add the garlic and let it cook another minute or so. Stir in the tomato puree, oregano and suger. Bring to a simmer and let it bubble until the sauce begins to thicken a bit, around another ten minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe Adapted from Giada's Family Dinners

Coming Soon: Lemon Cake