All good Italian cooking starts with a great homemade marinara sauce.
And this week, chef Shereen Pavlides features a recipe for the rich red "gravy," one that will play a prominent roll in each of her recipes for April (Chicken Cacciatore, Eggplant Rollatini and Linguine and Clams).
Marinara
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, diced (1 cup)
Kosher salt
Fresh finely ground black pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup chardonnay
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (Tuttorosso preferred)
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
1½ teaspoons dried parsley
1½ teaspoons dried basil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Fresh sliced basil
Heat oil in a 4-quart heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add the onions, season with ½ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Sauté until tender, 2 - 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Deglaze with wine and reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes (filling the can 1/3 of the way with cold water, gently swirl the can to release the tomato juices from the walls of the can, then add the tomato juices into the pot).
Drain the San Marzano tomatoes, then place the tomatoes into a medium bowl and crush the tomatoes by hand. Add to the sauce. (Discard the draining liquid.)
Add parsley, basil and season with 2 teaspoons salt and ¾ teaspoon pepper. Stir well to combine, bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium-low and cook until the flavor builds, about 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter until melted. Season to taste.
Garnish with fresh basil when ready to serve with cooked pasta.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 cups