Recipes

Marinara Sauce

  • Serves

    makes about 5 cups

This is a version of the sauce Rao's restaurant in New York now sells nationwide.

Ingredients

  • 2 (28-oz.) cans san marzano tomatoes
  • 14 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 oz. fatback or salt pork, diced (optional)
  • 1 small yellow onion, peeled and minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • Salt
  • 6-10 fresh basil leaves, torn
  • Pinch dried oregano
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Step 1

Drain tomatoes, reserving juice. Crush tomatoes with your hands into a bowl, gently removing and discarding any hard cores, skin, or tough membranes from stem ends. Set aside.

Step 2

Heat oil in a large nonreactive saucepan over medium-low heat. If using fatback, add it to the pan and saute until all fat has been rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove fatback with a slotted spoon and discard.

Step 3

Add onions to pan and cook until golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and reserved juice and season to taste with salt. Increase heat to high, and bring sauce to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low and simmer until flavors have blended and sauce has slightly thickened, about 1 hour.

Step 4

Stir in basil and oregano, and season to taste with salt and pepper. If not using immediately, refrigerate, covered, for up to a week.

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