In my last post I talked about pizza night. Part of pizza night usually includes a jar of my favorite marinara sauce by Newman's Own. Recently, someone pointed out to me that jarred sauces from the grocery store have a lot more sugar than if you make your own. The problem is that companies use tomatoes that are not yet ripe and add sugar to simulate ripeness. The best solution to this sugar problem is to make your own!
Making your own sauce is a very good way to eat cleaner, fresher food. It almost eliminates the processed part of your meal. It's EASY to do! (Trust me, I'm not Italian, but feel adopted into their traditions because of all the Italians I'm surrounded by.)
I know you are picturing Nona Rinicacchiocola stirring a simmering pot for hours. But I say it doesn't have to be that way! Here's a quick tomato sauce recipe that will take you 15 minutes!!!
Ingredients:
From White Girl Gone Green |
1. Saute 1/2 onion and 3 cloves garlic in a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (5 min)
2. Once onions are translucent, add 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste. Let them cook together. (2 min)
3. Add 15oz can tomato sauce*, 1Tbsp Dried Italian Seasoning, Crushed Red Pepper to taste (optional, but adds a nice little kick). Simmer. (7 min)
(*I usually prefer crushed tomatoes, but it's really your preference. Use whatever you have in the pantry.)
That's it! It's so delicious! I use this sauce for pizza and pasta. Will you try it? Let me know how you like it! The longer is simmers, the better it tastes.