Use this basic marinara sauce for spaghetti, pizza, bread dipping, etc. Can add steamed and reduced spring vegetables to make primavera sauce. When tomatoes are abundant, we make this sauce almost weekly. The fresh ingredients nearly fill my small 4 qt pressure cooker.
The finished sauce makes 6 cups (1.5 qt).
Uses
- Spaghetti
- Pizza
- Baked Pasta
MAIN
- 1/2 onion
- 1 sm or 1/2 lg carrot, sliced
- 1 sm-med rib celery, sliced
- 1 sm-med zucchini, peeled and sliced
- 20-30 plum tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup water
SPICE
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp salt
Add all ingredients to pressure cooker with 1/2 cup water, cover and bring to pressure. Turn off heat and allow to release pressure. Blend steamed vegetables in high speed blender. Because contents are very hot, take care to not fill more than half, and gradually increase speed from low to high. Process in batches. Pour pureed sauce into large saucepan on hot plate at low heat. Simmer slowly, just under boiling, to reduce volume by roughly half. Allow to cool and transfer into containers for refrigeration or freezing.
WHOLE SEEDS
- 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
FRESH HERBS
- 1-1/2 in basil
- 1-1/2 in rosemary
To make the marinara sauce more fancy, layer in some toasted seeds and fresh herbs. Toast whole seeds, allow to cool, and add to vegetables before blending. Add fresh herbs to small saucepan of simmering vegetable broth, and make an herb tea. Strain and add to sauce, use to rinse blender. Simmer to reduce.
Michael Swarm 