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| Fast, easy and always delicious by itself or as a side dish~ |
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| I am so lucky to be able to buy plum tomatoes in the supermarket all year round, these are just beauties! Sweet, firm, great fresh flavor. Living in Florida we are just full of the freshness of summer with always an abundance of fresh produce. Today I wanted to make something lighter and still tastes great with less calories. I decided to make my favorite, marinara sauce simplified. I usually add more ingredients, less is more today. |
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| My dad would say I just want a nice dish of spaghetti regular thin, angel hair, linguine any kind of pasta.... that would be his easy favorite! Today for healthier eating, I am using Whole Wheat pasta. |
Simplified Marinara Italian Tomato Sauce
(I double this recipe)
2 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
4 plum ripe tomatoes place whole tomatoes with stems removed into food processor and pulse till fine chunks, (yes skins and all) you can remove skins if you like by submersing them into hot boiling water then into cold then peels skins.( If you have to use a 28 ounce can please choose the one's in carton, they are the closest to fresh)
4 to 6 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
Pinch salt and pepper
2 large cloves sliced garlic
shavings of grating cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
Cook pasta according to package directions. (I like al dente and serving this with Whole Wheat pasta today.)
Meanwhile, saute' sliced garlic in olive oil over very low heat for about 4 minutes do not brown or scorch or garlic, garlic tends to become bitter when overcooked and easily can ruin your sauce, so watch it carefully.
Add tomatoes and spices, stir over medium heat for another 15 minutes.
Toss with cooked pasta with fresh torn basil, grating cheese and freshly ground black pepper. This can be served as a side dish or for me, a full meal. I recommend baked fish or lemon chicken to top the pasta with.
Toss with cooked pasta with fresh torn basil, grating cheese and freshly ground black pepper. This can be served as a side dish or for me, a full meal. I recommend baked fish or lemon chicken to top the pasta with.
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A simple side dish that is always welcome on my tables, one of my very favorites.. Angel Hair pasta marinara with fried calamari. Add a little red wine to the sauce, oregano, red pepper flakes.
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Shown above is fried calamari on top of the marinara pasta. An Italian speciality on Christmas Eve along with 7 Fishes.
Read about some of our Italian style traditions at Christmas time with fish
and Italian specialities desserts:
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