Mom's marinara

1 batch

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
½ cup Olive oil
2 cloves Garlic; minced or chopped
2 pounds Tomatoes; fresh, peeled &
. chopped
. or
. 2 16oz cans peeled
. Italian tomatoes
¼ teaspoon Dried red pepper flakes
½ cup Italian parsley; chopped
Salt & black pepper to taste

Directions

** NOTE: to peel tomatoes, drop them into boiling water for 30 seconds. The skins will then slip off easily.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute garlic over low heat for a few minutes, until golden. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Or if you prefer a smoother sauce, push the ingredients through a sieve after they've cooked about 15 minutes, then return the mixture to the skillet and continue cooking.

*************** Additions and/or Alterations to the Marinara Sauce For a touch of fragrance and sweetness, add ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves with the tomatoes and a pinch of sugar (unless using canned tomatoes with the sugar added).

For a mysteriously rish flavor, stir in 2 or 3 minced anchovy fillets before adding the tomatoes. Use as many as 6 fillets for a strong anchovy flavor.

For additional flavor, saute 1 finely chopped carrot, onion and celery stalk with the garlic, before adding the tomatoes. Puree the ingredients in a food processor after they've cooked about 15 minutes, then return to the skillet and continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes.

For shrimp or red clam sauce, add 1 pound of shelled and deveined shrimp for the last few minutes of cooking (until the shrimp turn opaque), or 2 6 1/2oz cans of minced clams.

*************** NOTE: When pasta is oversauced, it loses its own distinctive flavor. Pasta sauce is meant to compliment, not overpower, the pasta it's served with.

** Mom's recipe card file **

Posted by The WEE Scot -- paul macGregor Submitted By PAUL MACGREGOR On 10-22-95

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