Our bold and spicy marinara...

I think the best marinara can be made from a handful of simple healthy ingredients. After many years in the making, here is how I do it... ( 8 min. )

Core Ingredients

Let us start with the parts that make up the whole: tomatoes, onion, garlic, spices and of course olive oil. What could be more simple? As we bring this recipe to life, I will go through my thought process and provide space for your own personal touch.

Frying Pan

I like to make my pasta sauce in a frying pan, the choice of most Italian chefs. You can use any type of pot so long as it can comfortably hold the final amount of sauce that you are preparing. This recipe will produce about 1 litre ( 1 quart ) of tomato sauce. If you have a lid to match, you can easily regulate the thickness of your pasta sauce.

If you are lucky enough to have a stainless steel frying pan in good condition, this would be ideal. Tomatoes are acidic. Your sauce will actually help keep your pan clean! Also, I have recently gone back to stainless steel for health and environmental reasons. Many cheap non-stick pans contain chemicals are not good for your health or the planet. I hope you consider this when you shop for a new cooking pot or frying pan.

Onions

I start with a small peeled yellow onion. Always remember to first cut the onion in half to create a stable flat side for chopping. The cut size is completely a matter of taste and up to you. I prefer a fine dice. Ontario yellow onions are readily available all year so it is easy to buy local for this ingredient.

Garlic

Garlic is traditionally a key part of a basic marinara sauce, but it is not for everyone and therefore may be considered an optional item. I love the addition of fresh, fine chopped garlic over any form of dried version.

Many of us have likely defaulted to the cheap imported garlic from the far east. We grow excellent fresh garlic here in Canada and it is harvested around August and typically has around a 6 month shelf-life. It is more expensive ( about one dollar per bulb ) but you will only need to buy one bulb. Take one segment or clove of your garlic bulb ( or more if you are a true garlic lover ) for this recipe.

I like the process of ingredient preparation so I fine chop and then mash the small pieces of garlic until they form a blended paste ( salt can be used to help in the breakdown but the extra salt is not needed ). You can easily get a similar result with a garlic press. Mash away!

Tomatoes

I would always recommend that you buy fresh plum tomatoes for a marinara sauce, which are grown nearly all year round in Canada. There is a high carbon footprint to this product but local greenhouse tomatoes still trump any kind of import for me. If you are not in a position to buy fresh, canned italian type tomatoes field grown in Canada is a very smart choice. Buy a large can ( 796 ml ) of whole peeled tomatoes in puree. The sweet tangy flavour is fantastic and very healthy for you! Other canned tomatoes are a distance third choice.

Fresh Tomatoes Prep

Fresh tomatoes take the most amount of preparation. Wash thoroughly and score the bottom and top of each plum tomato with a small "x". Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Submerge a couple of tomatoes at a time for only 30 seconds to 1 minute or when you see the first major crack in the skin--remove it immediately! Let them cool down in cold water and then peel by hand. Too long in the hot water makes it easier to peel but it will take a thicker layer of tomato flesh with it.

Half and then quarter each tomato. Cut away any small green bits at the top of each quarter. Now you can decide if you want to strain out the seeds. Plum tomatoes have only a few small seeds and can be easily removed by straining the separated inner core of each wedge. Your choice. Dice segments to desired size. I enjoy making a rustic marinara that includes both the skins and seeds. It is not for everyone but I really believe in utilizing the whole plant.

Canned Tomatoes Prep

A can of tomatoes takes a little less preparation. Remove any residue skin or connective vine tissue from the tops of whole or part tomatoes. I cut the whole tomatoes in half and remove the inner liquid and seeds for straining and then rough chop the outer tomato flesh. Recombine the strained liquid and tomato solids. You are now ready to start making your Marzano Marinara!

Some Assembly Required

Warm your frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. A light olive oil is a bit more neutral but will do the job. Extra virgin olive oil is my preference but it does not have to be high-end to make this recipe sparkle with flavour.

Add your chopped onion and reduce to medium-low heat after it starts to sizzle. Stir often to avoid browning. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add your garlic puree, stir and saute for about one additional minute.

Take it off the burner to cool a bit and you will see the onion/garlic mix is soft and transparent. If not, then cook for a little bit longer. Watch it carefully as you can easily brown or burn your saute. If this happens, I would let it cool down and eat it as a snack and then start again. I think it is important to never take food for granted or let it go to waste.

Add your tomatoes, juice and puree to the saute and bring it up to a medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of water or perhaps a dry white wine ( e.g. a nice pinot grigio from Niagara is a good choice if you are so inclined ). Add our Marzano Marinara spice mix and simmer for about 15 minutes. If you like the consistency of the sauce with the added liquid then cover to prevent evaporation.

Congratulations, you did it!

Now all you need to do is prepare some dry pasta for your beautiful Marzano Marinara.  Make sure it is made in Canada from Canadian durum wheat. If your sauce ends up too thick, you can always thin it out a bit with the pasta cooking water--a couple of tablespoons to 1/4 cup. It is up to you.

I hope you had fun on your first cooking adventure with soux-chef. Let us know how you made out by sending us a quick note. We love hearing from you. 

Now it is time to savour your delicious Marzano Marinara. Enjoy!