People have different thoughts on marinara or ‘spaghetti sauce’. Many think that it is what you buy in a jar, or what is more of a ragu – filled with ground meat ect. Frankly there are as many versions as their are cooks. I don’t like the jarred as it is loaded with sugars and preservatives. Normally I will have at least two types on hand in the freezer, a “pure” version of just tomato, olive oil, garlic, onion, herbs and spices.
I will also usually have a ragu, of meat, tomato, vegetables, garlic, mushrooms, herbs and spices. Due to the limited purchase time, and supplies on hand I went a bit different with this one, but the usual players are present, and I used up some bits and bobs that needed to be used, and stored before they went bad.
This is a vegetable forward version, there is no meat so it is suitable for serving as is, with beans, as a soup base, with meat as a side, or a variety of other applications. When you remember that marinara is a sauce used in most Italian leaning dishes you see why I feel this is an essential sauce in one or more forms.
I had some veg that I needed to use up – mushrooms, the voodle trimmings, spinach, and I of course brought mini sweet peppers, onions and garlic to the party. Chop the onions – using every bit … yup, that part too. Medium dice, this is a chunky version after all Halve the peppers, and scoop out the seeds and membranes. I have found a spoon works well for this. Dice cleaned peppers same size as the onionHeat some bacon grease in a large potPlace the chopped veg into the pot with some salt to start the sweating. While they are sweating, chop the mushrooms and garlic,Add mushrooms to the pot. These are the zucchini and yellow squash bits from freezing my voodles Chop them a little bigger as they will break down some and a couple – ok like five cloves of garlic … I like garlic.Add in a palm-full each Italian seasoning, oregano, and chili flake – more or less. This won’t make it spicy, just a bit of kick. Let that cook together for 15 minutes or so. Next is the tomatoes – 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes – juice and all.Then a 14.5 oz can tomato sauce. Fill the 14.5 oz can 1/2 full of water and pour back and forth between cans rinsing all the residual juices and sauce from the cans – add to the pot.Simmer on low for an hour or so .. like an old Italian grandma. Once it is simmered, you will probably want to grab some meatballs, and cook some pasta and have yourself some dinner while it cools – see dinners. I use the snack size bags for portioning. 1/2 cup per serving. It doesn’t seem like much but remember this is a sauce, not a meal – we will usually add meatballs, chicken, or sausage and pasta or voodles and bread and salad to round out the meal 1/2 cup will be enough. Put two fingers inside the bag and your thumb on the seam opens up the bag for filling.
Fill all the bags, 10-12, before sealing to even out the amounts. This is not exact because veggies are different sizes, the amount of water how long it cooks down etc.
Onto the trusty sheet pan and into the freezer we go.
Freezer filling up nicely – once you get above the level of the bins you may need to play a bit of tetris to get a level surface for your sheet-pans.
Once frozen place the snack size bags into a gallon freezer bag – label and back into the freezer for later meals. 10 more meals ready to grab and cook.
I have always cooked, I was that person who could make a meal from an empty fridge. I have lived alone and with large and small families, I have cooked for camps on wood stoves, and in professional kitchens. I have lived and worked all over the west from Montana, to Seattle to Arizona to San Diego. I have traveled, maybe not 'all over the world', yet, and have collected tastes recipes and techniques everywhere, and every one I meet.
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