Marinara Sauce from an Irishman

Marinara Sauce

Everyone has their own sauce recipe. Here's mine. I got it from my Irish Mom, and tweeked it to my own taste over the years. I have had no complaints from my Italian family.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium – large onion, diced

4 -5 cloves garlic, diced

1 pint fresh sliced mushrooms

1 28 oz. can Tuttorosso Crushed Tomatoes

1 28 oz. can Tuttorosso Tomato Sauce

1 28 oz. can Tuttorosso Tomato Puree

1 small can of tomato paste

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

1 ½ tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon pepper

1 ½ tablespoons sugar

Directions:

1. Heat the oil to medium-high in a large sauté pan. Add the onions, mushrooms, and garlic and cook until soft, but not burning the garlic.

2. Add to a large sauce pot (min. 8 qt.) the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, puree, and paste and blend with a large spoon. Add the onions, mushrooms, and garlic.

3. Stir in the seasoning, salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for at least an hour. Make adjustments with seasoning if needed.

·      * I like to cook the sauce a day ahead so the flavors meld together nicely. With a ceramic pot, I can leave the sauce in it overnight in the fridge. I recommend transferring to a large bowl after cooling off enough if you cooked in a metal pot.

·      ** I usually end up freezing a lot of the sauce since we never use it up fast enough. I put it in leftover Chinese soup containers. One pint container will do for a meal for the two of use easily.

·      *** The sauce goes well with meatballs, but I make it without meat because most of my “diners” prefer it that way. You can always add meatballs or browned chopmeat.