Marinara from Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Roasting tomatoes first brings out their wonderful flavors & sweetness—and shortens sauce simmering time!

WHAT YOU NEED (for about 4 cups or 1 quart sauce):

5-6 lbs. fresh whole tomatoes, any variety except cherry (12-14 medium)

Olive oil to drizzle

4-5 long sprigs of fresh rosemary (optional)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 white or yellow onion (chopped or cut in half— see Tips)

2 cloves garlic, chopped finely

⅓ cup red wine

1-2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano (or 1-2 tsp. dried)

1-2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary (or 1-2 tsp. dried ground)

1-2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil (or 1-2 tsp. dried)

1 Tbsp. fennel seed, crushed (optional)

1 tsp. Tabasco sauce (optional)

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

MAKING IT:

Roast Tomatoes:

Preheat oven to 300°F. Remove tomato stems and cores.  Slice into ½-inch slices.  Place slices on two 13x9-inch rimmed baking pans lined with parchment paper, overlapping tomatoes if necessary to fit pan.  Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes. Top with fresh rosemary sprigs (optional). Bake 1½ - 2 hours or until tomatoes start to turn golden and juices are running. After baking, immediately transfer tomatoes (with all juices) into large glass bowl; discard rosemary sprigs. 

NOTE: At this point, tomatoes can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days or put into freezer-safe container and frozen for up to 4 months; then continue with recipe as written (thaw tomatoes in refrigerator for 24-48 hours if frozen).

Remove Seeds: (Note: this is an optional step, although seeds can make sauce bitter)

Press roasted tomatoes (and all juices) through Foley food mill or strainer over a bowl to remove seeds and skins. Work in small batches to yield as much tomato pulp as possible.

Make Sauce:

Using a sauce pot on medium-low heat, add enough olive oil to cover the bottom (about 1/2 cup).  Add the onion and let it sizzle for about 1 minute.  Add garlic sauté for 1 minute more. Add tomato pulp and all remaining ingredients.  Simmer sauce over low heat stirring often until desired thickness (about 1-2 hours). Check flavor; adding more herbs, salt, pepper as needed. Remove onion half, if desired (see Tips).  

Makes About: 1 quart (4 cups)

TIPS: 

Recipe can be scaled up. Use one sheet pan for every 2-1/2 - 3 lbs. of tomatoes and scale up remaining ingredients proportionally.

If you prefer a less sweet sauce, cut onion in half and leave in only during simmering; then remove.

Red wine vinegar can be substituted for red wine.

Marinara freezes well for up to 6-9 months; use freezer-safe containers and do not fill completely to the top.

 If you decide to can your marinara, be sure to follow safe canning procedures. Starting with 20 lbs. of fresh tomatoes will yield about 4 quarts of marinara. Check out the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning or Fresh Preserving: Ball & Kerr Mason Jars & Home Canning.