Marinara Sauce

There are several reasons to make your own marinara ("spaghetti sauce").  The two that come to my mind are to use fresh ingredients and to control salt.  Also, by using sugar instead of the corn syrup in most jar sauces, this becomes a Passover-safe sauce to use on the matzoh pizza.

If the quality of Roma tomatoes in your area isn't sufficient, you can substitute diced canned tomatoes, preferably without added salt.  Saves you the trouble of peeling and seeding them.

To peel a tomato:  First, core out the top.  Then, score a little X on the bottom.  Drop the whole tomato in lightly boiling water for one minute.  Remove, let sit a few seconds, and start peeling from the X.  The skin should come right off.  If not, put it back in the water a few more seconds.

This version is based on the Bible's recipe.  They ask for a 1 lb can, but the current size is 14.5 oz.  I ended up adding about 1/2 C water to make up the difference.

1 lb Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced; or 1 can diced tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
2 Tb olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C diced onion
1 Tb sugar
2 tsp dried basil flakes or 3 Tb fresh basil
1 tsp dried oregano
salt to taste

1.  Heat oil in 2 qt saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.

2.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  If too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time to desired consistency.  Reduce to simmer, cover, and allow to cook 20 minutes, until tomatoes are completely cooked.  If desired, purée smooth.

3.  Serve hot over pasta, or use as a sauce for fish or on pizza.

Makes about 3 cups, enough for 4-6 servings of pasta

Difficulty rating  π