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Marinara Sauce
Marcella Hazan's legendary 3-ingredient sauce. Simplicity perfected.
Ingredients
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- 28 oz whole San Marzano tomatoes
- 5 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion, peeled and halved
- Salt to taste
Instructions
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- Put tomatoes (with their juice), butter, and onion halves in a saucepan.
- Add a pinch of salt.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle, steady simmer.
- Cook uncovered for , stirring occasionally and crushing tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
- Remove and discard the onion.
- Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Toss with hot pasta. Serve with fresh parmesan.
Notes
- BUTTER not olive oil: This is the whole point. Butter makes it silky and rich. Trust Marcella.
- Onion stays whole: It flavors the sauce subtly without overpowering. Discard at the end.
- Don't add garlic: Sounds wrong, but this sauce doesn't need it. The simplicity IS the flavor.
- San Marzano tomatoes: Worth the extra dollar. Sweeter, less acidic.
- Storage: Keeps 1 week refrigerated, freezes well for 3 months.
Marcella Hazan from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking