Roasted Marinara Sauce

Some of you have asked for my roasted marinara recipe and so I will offer a guide on how I make it. There are no exact measurement as each batch can be different depending on the intensity of the flavor of your tomatoes, onions, and peppers.  I make each batch and taste it until I am satisfied. 

You'll notice no garlic in my recipe.  Italian ladies everywhere are shaking their heads.  You are welcome to add it to your sauce.  My husband cannot have garlic so I do not use it and it is still very tasty.

Roasted Marinara Sauce

Red and Yellow Tomatoes (need to be mostly reds due to acid level needed)
Green  or Yellow Peppers (1-2 per baking dish)
Sweet Yellow Onions (1-2 per baking dish)
Olive Oil
Fresh Basil (good handful if using 3 baking dishes)
Fresh Oregano (small handful if using 3 baking dishes)
Fresh Parsley (optional) (small handful if using 3 baking dishes)
Salt
Sugar
Cayenne Pepper (few dashes per batch)

Drizzle the bottom of the baking dish with olive oil and sprinkle with some salt

Core tomatoes and smoosh out the seeds. Cut into a couple hunks.  It's messy so I use a 5 gallon bucket that is nice and tall to squeeze into.  I haul mine off to the compost when I am done. 

Layer in baking dish along with peppers and onions.  Salting a little as you go and finally on top drizzling with a little more olive oil and sprinkling with salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Open door and squish down the tomatoes and any edges that are already getting browned. 

Browning is good, it adds to the flavor of the sauce! Bake for another 30 minutes (or until everything is nice and soft.)

You'll note there is a lot of liquid in the bottom.  We are going to keep this yummy juice!!  Use a slotted spoon and scoop the veggies into a large pot. Drain the liquid into another pot (or a gallon jar if you can't get to processing it today.)

There will still be more liquid that come off.  I drain that all off too!  Add your veggies to a food processor (or blender.)  Add salt, some sugar (Tablespoon or so,) fresh basil, and oregano.  Sometimes I throw in parsley too.

Whiz until smooth.

Dump into large bowl. Season until it is how you like it.  It is all personal preference.  You will find as you try different seasonings you will learn what you like and which ones to add more of.

It is ready to can or freeze or you can go one step further. I strain mine.  As good as the processor is there are still some seeds and some pieces of tomato skin I do not want.  Add it bit by bit to the strainer and press it through.

This is what is left. Don't despair, I have a use for this!! Check out my Dehydrating Tomato Skins to Make Tomato Powder tutorial.

You are now ready to do one of 4 things....water bath can it*, pressure can it*, freeze it, or eat it!

If you want to make pizza sauce.  Strain it one more time through a metal sieve or you could spend your time boiling it down.  I personally do not have time to make sure it is stirred during that time so it doesn't burn. The thicker it is, the better so your crust doesn't get soggy.  I can those in 1/2 pint size. 

*As with all canning recipes please refer to the National Center for Home Food Preservation for information on what can be water bath canned and what needs to be pressure canned.  Each elevation has their own time needed to process. General rule of thumb is items under 4.6 pH can be safely water bathed.  Add citric acid as needed.

Pin it: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746087929225/