Basic Marinara (and my sauce/gravy technique)

When people ask me for My Recipe of Italian sauce, gravy, marinara... I freeze! Deer In Headlight!! Frankly, I never used a recipe. Ever. Quantities?? EEK!!! My way is to 'eyeball' it and taste it while it's simmering, adding what is needed.   Since we're all geared to eating quite healthy here, I rarely, rarely make a meat gravy and when I do it's with meatballs (baked, not fried) added to my basic marinara (which I'll make a little thicker when adding meat).  It allllll starts with olive oil in a pot...

This is for a couple #s of cooked pasta:

Start with a heavy dutch oven - cover the bottom (generously) with extra virgin olive oil and heat it (to med.).  Slice/chop a large (white/Spanish) onion and crush/chop 8-10 cloves of garlic (more, if that's what floats your boat) and add to the hot oil. Stir frequently and WATCH so it doesn't burn!!

Once the garlic and onions are softened, add tomatoes - LOTS of them.  I've been making sauce using fresh garden tomatoes all summer and WE don't mind the skin/seeds, but you can run fresh tomatoes thru a food mill if you want them skinless/seedless.  Think: 8 cups. Or more.  If you're not using fresh tomatoes, a good brand of canned tomatoes works fine. I buy crushed tomatoes, but whole ones (then mashed up) are good.  If you're looking for a thicker type of sauce, add a large can of tomato puree, or even a can of tomato paste (thinned with more water).  Use 2 or 3 LARGE cans of tomatoes.

Season generously with salt and pepper. Keep the heat on low now (to prevent burning) and stir the sauce (covered or partially covered) occasionally.

I don't use ANY other seasoning or herbs EXCEPT for basil and it's usually fresh. I wash a couple handfuls, thinly slice it and add it to the sauce.  If you like oregano, rosemary, anything else - GO for it!! 

Let the marinara simmer for approx. 1/2-1 hour, test for seasoning - add S&P if necessary.  Serve over pasta, ravioli, with arancini, polenta, eggplant .... the options are ENDLESS.

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If you want this sauce with meat:   BEFORE starting the sauce, in the pot w/hot oil, brown the meat until thoroughly browned (not thoroughly cooked!) and then remove it to a bowl.  Proceed with the sauce making IN THE SAME meaty oil!  After the sauce is simmering for a while, add the meat and cook on LOW for several hours, until meat is tender. If it appears to be too thin, add spoonfuls of tomato paste, adjust seasonings until it's to your liking.

I'm sorry if this recipe seems scattered and unprofessional, but this is how I cook and so far, have had no complaints. Cooking isn't difficult - and many recipes make it out to be scary and intimidating. Don't be afraid to dig in and give it a try!!!