We don't use the word best lightly. Splurge for the real d.o.p San Marzano tomatoes from Italy - or at least San Marzano style.
1-3 hours, Makes enough for 5-6 pint-size jars.
| 4-6 Tbsp | Olive oil |
| 1 medium | Onion, diced |
| 2 large | Carrots, diced |
| 4 | Red italian sweet peppers, diced |
| 8 | Garlic cloves, minced |
| 4 cans | 28-ounce San Marzano d.o.p. Tomatoes |
| 2 cans | 6-oz tomato Tomato paste |
| ⅓ cup | Chopped fresh basil, or 4 tsp dried |
| 1 tsp | Dried oregano |
| ¾ tsp | Red pepper flakes (or not for regular Marinara sauce) |
| 1 Tbsp | Salt |
| 1 tsp | Black ground pepper |
| 2 Tbsp | Sugar |
| 2 | Bay leaves |
| 1. Cook diced onion (1 medium), diced carrots (2 large), and diced italian sweet peppers (4 red) in olive oil (4-6 Tbsp approximately). |
| 2. Add minced garlic cloves (8) last and continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes. Low heat here - don't burn or brown the garlic. |
| 3. Remove the cooked vegetables from pot and puree them in a blender or food processor. |
| 4. Add the pureed vegetables back to the pot. |
| 5. Quickly pulse-blend San Marzano tomatoes (4 cans, with sauce) in a blender, or for sauce with texture, just mash them in a bowl with a fork. Avoid pureeing them aggressively because damaging too many of the seeds will release bitterness. |
| 6. Add tomatoes to the pot. |
| 7. Add tomato paste (2 cans), basil (⅓ cup), oregano (1 tsp), red pepper flakes (¾ tsp), salt (1 Tbsp), black ground pepper (1 tsp), sugar (2 Tbsp), and whole bay leaves (2) to the pot. |
| 8. Cook for a minimum of 30 minutes, and up to 3 hours. |
| 9. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt, black ground pepper, sugar, red pepper flakes) to your liking. |
| 10. Remove the bay leaves. |
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