A marinara sauce is one item that must always be in your freezer. I ALWAYS have a batch of this, tomato, and pizza sauce in my freezer. In fact, I begin to worry if my freezer runs out of it. Usually, I make a double batch and store it in smaller portions. They stay for about three months in the freezer. You know how I feel about fresh produce as compared to canned. I only use canned when I have to. It bothers me to use canned tomatoes for my marinara when I see all those beautiful red ripe tomatoes in the market waiting to be picked. Fresh is fresh, right?
Step-by-step: Marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes
Blanch tomatoes – Mark an X with a knife on the bottom of the tomatoes and put them in hot water for 3 to 5 minutes. Take them out with a slotted spoon and put them in cold water. Drain and cool the tomatoes until barely warm.
Tomato puree – Peel the skin with the edge of your knife. Deseed the tomatoes using the easy method shown in the video. Place the seeds in a colander to collect all the juices. Pulse the tomato pulp and juices in a bowl or food processor until smooth. Set aside.
Sauté – Add oil, garlic, chilly flakes, and onions in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottom sauté pan. Sauté until onions are translucent. Then, add the dried herbs, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Followed by brown sugar. Sauté for 2 minutes until the sugar caramelizes. Simmer – Next, add the prepared tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, and add the basil leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer on medium-low for 30 minutes to an hour or until the sauce is thicker and you see some oil on the surface of the sauce. (looks shiny) The sauce will thicken and deepen as it cools. Serve over pasta or use in any recipe that calls for marinara sauce.
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