# Marinara sauce from scratch



## Christina1979 (Oct 21, 2011)

Next week i'm planning on making marinara sauce from scratch using fresh tomatoes, this will be my first attempt. Does anyone have a favorite recipe or any advice on making it. Should I use dried or fresh herbs? Any advice is appreciated.


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## Tamileen (Oct 21, 2011)

Fresh herbs are almost always best! Fresh tomatoes demand fresh herbs. But, sometimes dried is all there is


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## kronlyn (Oct 21, 2011)

i also get my onion and garlic nicely browned then add all tomatoe products and herbs and cook down


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## Christina1979 (Oct 21, 2011)

Yeah I originally planned on using fresh herbs, you just can't beat that flavor.


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## Tamileen (Oct 21, 2011)

I forgot to mention that allrecipe.com, (I have program on cell), has some good marinara recipes.


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## Christina1979 (Oct 21, 2011)

I looked on that website but nothing stood out. Mainly because most of them used canned tomatoes. I found a recipe that i'm thinking of trying. It has tomatoes, onions, garlic, red wine, fresh herbs...sounds delicious! It also explains how to peel the tomatoes. It includes pictures, which I love!


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## Dawgluver (Oct 21, 2011)

Roasting fresh tomatoes makes for wonderful sauce.  

There are some great ideas and recipes here!


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## Christina1979 (Oct 21, 2011)

Dawgluver said:
			
		

> Roasting fresh tomatoes makes for wonderful sauce.
> 
> There are some great ideas and recipes here!



I've made a soup from roasted tomatoes and it was fantastic! I was considering roasting them also. I wanted an authentic recipe. I'll probably try it both ways.


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## Dawgluver (Oct 21, 2011)

Christina1979 said:
			
		

> I've made a soup from roasted tomatoes and it was fantastic! I was considering roasting them also. I wanted an authentic recipe. I'll probably try it both ways.



I grew a plethora of lousy tomatoes this year, and after inquiring about what to do with them, am thinking Kadesma or Babe or Katie came to my aid with a wonderful roasted tomato recipe, along with many other good folk.  I used rosemary, salt and pepper, garlic, and thyme, and they were outstanding!

Check out Roasted tomato recipes here on DC.


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## jennyema (Oct 22, 2011)

Dried herbs are often preferred .  Only use fresh at the end of cooking; dried toward the start.

And good quality canned tomatoes are often better for sauce than fresh tomatoes.


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## Tamileen (Oct 22, 2011)

jennyema said:
			
		

> Dried herbs are often preferred .  Only use fresh at the end of cooking; dried toward the start.
> 
> And good quality canned tomatoes are often better for sauce than fresh tomatoes.



Are you saying, basil for instance, use dried at beginning of sauce and fresh toward end of cooking?


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## TATTRAT (Oct 22, 2011)

jennyema said:


> Dried herbs are often preferred .  Only use fresh at the end of cooking; dried toward the start.
> 
> And good quality canned tomatoes are often better for sauce than fresh tomatoes.



Basically what I came in to say



Tamileen said:


> Are you saying, basil for instance, use dried at beginning of sauce and fresh toward end of cooking?



That is the idea, and a general rule of thumb. Dried in the beginning, always finish with fresh. And salt in the finish too, reduction will intensify all your flavors, including salt, so leave that for near last.

Also, on the canned tomato part, canned San Marzano tomatoes are all you need to look for. You can certainly use fresh, but you have to hull, score, blanch, peel, mash. . .it is just a silly amount of work considering the quality of good canned tomatoes out there.


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## Christina1979 (Oct 22, 2011)

TATTRAT said:
			
		

> Basically what I came in to say
> 
> That is the idea, and a general rule of thumb. Dried in the beginning, always finish with fresh. And salt in the finish too, reduction will intensify all your flavors, including salt, so leave that for near last.
> 
> Also, on the canned tomato part, canned San Marzano tomatoes are all you need to look for. You can certainly use fresh, but you have to hull, score, blanch, peel, mash. . .it is just a silly amount of work considering the quality of good canned tomatoes out there.



Yes I knew about when to use fresh or dried herbs. I like the flavor of fresh herbs so that's probably what I'll use. 

As for the amount of work, I don't mind. I want to make it using fresh tomatoes for the experience. Afterwards, i'll probably use canned to save time. I just started cooking again and i'm trying new recipes that used to intimidate me. It's fun for me and makes me happy to say that I made it from scratch.


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## pacanis (Oct 22, 2011)

Christina1979 said:


> Yes I knew about when to use fresh or dried herbs. I like the flavor of fresh herbs so that's probably what I'll use.
> 
> As for the amount of work, I don't mind. I want to make it using fresh tomatoes for the experience. Afterwards, i'll probably use canned to save time. I just started cooking again and i'm trying new recipes that used to intimidate me. It's fun for me and makes me happy to say that I made it from scratch.


 
I too think it would be fun making the sauce from scratch.


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## CWS4322 (Oct 25, 2011)

I'm with those who recommend roasting the tomatoes. I recently made a chili where I roasted 1/2 the tomatoes and used a jar of home-canned tomatoes. The ones I roasted were Romas, the canned were Brandywines. I drained the juice from the canned ones. I plucked the skins from the roasted ones, tossed them in the FP with roasted garlic, and added the two batches of tomatoes to the chili. The roasted tomato sauce was similar to tomato paste--it also had a very intense tomato taste. I have more roasted tomato sauce (just EVOO, S&P) in the freezer. Even though I am not fond of spaghetti, I do like other dishes (lasagne, etc) and will probably use the tomato sauce for one of those as winter approaches. I always add the fresh herbs at the end.


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## Christina1979 (Oct 25, 2011)

CWS4322 said:
			
		

> I'm with those who recommend roasting the tomatoes. I recently made a chili where I roasted 1/2 the tomatoes and used a jar of home-canned tomatoes. The ones I roasted were Romas, the canned were Brandywines. I drained the juice from the canned ones. I plucked the skins from the roasted ones, tossed them in the FP with roasted garlic, and added the two batches of tomatoes to the chili. The roasted tomato sauce was similar to tomato paste--it also had a very intense tomato taste. I have more roasted tomato sauce (just EVOO, S&P) in the freezer. Even though I am not fond of spaghetti, I do like other dishes (lasagne, etc) and will probably use the tomato sauce for one of those as winter approaches. I always add the fresh herbs at the end.



How long did you roast them for?


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Oct 25, 2011)

When I make a simple marinara sauce, the only seasonings I use are onion, sautéd until soft but not browned, and salt and pepper. You'd be surprised how fresh your sauce tastes without all that added herbs to confuse your taste buds.


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## msmofet (Oct 25, 2011)

Fresh basil
fresh oregano
fresh parsley
Fresh garlic 
fresh onion

*PLUS dry oregano (dry oregano is the only herb in my opinion that adds a nice concentrated flavor. All other dried herbs have a very week herb flavor and not worth the money. IMHO)*

I use BOTH fresh and dry oregano in my sauces.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Oct 25, 2011)

The only sauce I'd put oregano in is pizza sauce!


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## MountainMath (Oct 25, 2011)

Whole wheat spagetti and marinara sauce.  Nothing like it!


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## CWS4322 (Oct 25, 2011)

Christina1979 said:


> How long did you roast them for?


 
My oven temperature gauge is a bit funky--but I roasted them for about 40 minutes at 375/400/425 (how's that for being helpful--cooking in that oven is an art)--I checked on them every 10 minutes after the 20-minute mark because of the funkiness of the temp gauge here at the farm--hopefully that will get swapped out this weekend...Anyway, I let the tomatoes go until they were roasted the way I wanted them--skins bubbled and some blisters. 

Now here's the information you didnt ask for, but since I'm procrastinating starting another project for work, I might as well share: I don't seed them, I just cut them in half and place cut side down. I try to use tomatoes that are similar in size so that the halves are about the same and will take about the same amount of time to roast. Mind you, the Romas aren't as watery as the Brandywines. If I were roasting Brandywines, I might seed them. When they are done, and I've plucked the skins, I scrape the "goo" off the bottom of the pan and that is what goes in the FP. I like a thick sauce, and roasted tomato sauce is more reminiscent of homemade tomato paste without the hours it takes to cook down the paste.

The ingredients were pretty standard: I put about 2 T of EVOO on the bottom of my largest sheet pan. Brushed a bit of EVOO on top of the tomatoes, sprinkled kosher salt (not a lot) and freshly ground black pepper. On the side, I roast garlic heads with the first layer of skin removed, EVOO rubbed in, both ends cut up, wrapped in foil. 

When I use roasted tomato sauce in the winter (frozen from fresh in the fall), I will pull out a "block" of frozen tomatoes sometimes to add instead of the home-canned tomatoes. I skin and seed those (Romas) cut in half, stuffed into a square tupperware, frozen, and then when the brick is solid, I wrap in cling wrap and then 2 layers of freezer wrap. I keep meaning to freeze some of the roasted garlic or put it in EVOO and store in the fridge, but roasted garlic seems to be as hard to resist as bacon intended for the freezer is!


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## Claire (Oct 25, 2011)

In the winter I prefer using canned.  But when tomatoes are good:

First I cut off the tops, where most of the blemishes on garden tomatoes are.

Using both thumbs I seed the tomatoes.  Not that the seeds aren't good, but if you do use them you'll have to cook them forever or your sauces is too watery.  I don't waste that, I seed the tomatoes into a sieve over a bowl.

I oil a baking pan (one of those with a side about 1/2" high), and slice or chop (very forgiving recipe) an onion onto it, along with a clove or ten of garlic (your choice!) and one cayenne pepper.  I place the seeded tomatoes face up on the pan as I go.  Then salt & pepper and any dry herbs you like, then turn them face down and brush or spray with a little more oil.

Bake in a 400 oven for about an hour ... until the skins turn dark brown or even black.  Pick off any skin that removes easily.

Use a slotted spoon to lift all of the above from the pan and do any of the following:

Put through a food mill, press through a sieve or China cap, or stick in a blender/food processor.  I prefer the first, but what you have is what you get.

At this point any fresh herbs you like (most famously, basil) can be added (basil burns more quickly than tomatoes cook).  

The main reason for all these machinations is that tomatoes are very, very watery.  There will be liquid ... almost a syrup ... in the bottom of your baking pan.  The seeds & mucus in the sieve (use a spoon and force it through) make a great base for a soup, but require hours of cooking and watching over the stove to reduce.  

This is sort of like semi-dehydrating the tomatoes, and I swear, even lousy winter grocery store tomatoes turn sweet with this treatment.


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## jennyema (Oct 25, 2011)

msmofet said:


> Fresh basil
> fresh oregano
> fresh parsley
> Fresh garlic
> ...


 
It depends on the source of your dried herbs.  Penzey's are excellent.  My own from the garden are even better.

Oregano is very strong, so I tend to go light on it.


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