Marinara Sauce

I can't believe that this was actually my first shot at homemade marinara sauce; I will never go back to the store bought sauce again!  (I'm going to regret saying that...)


I used Giada DeLaurentiis' recipe from her first cookbook, Everyday Italian.  I've had this cookbook for several years and it's definitely a go to source for simple Italian sauces and dishes.  Her recipes are always a hit no matter who my taste tester is; probably because Italian food is pretty hard to mess up and almost always a crowd pleaser.  
This sauce was no different.  The only ingredient that is increasingly hard to come across is time.  So save it for a Sunday when you have about an hour and a half to let the flavors come together as the sauce simmers.


The recipe can be found here: Basic Marinara Sauce


Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (32 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (this was not in the original recipe, I just added it for some kick)


Directions:
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes.  Add the celery, carrots, and salt and pepper.  Continue to saute until the vegetables are soft, about 10 more minutes.  Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes, and let the sauce simmer over medium low heat for about an hour.    Season with more salt and pepper right before serving.


This recipe makes about 6 - 8 servings.  I froze the rest in 2 freezer bags; it's perfect for a quick home made meal when you don't have time.