Sauces: Recipe

My goodness...there are so many ways to make sauce and to be fair, I'm not sure I repeat my own sauce recipe the same way each time I make it. I do try though, I promise. But this is the sauce I made to go with the calamari I'm serving on Christmas Eve and the Vodka Sauce for the pasta. This is a light marinara sauce and it's delicious. The other is thick and rich and super creamy.

Several mentioned that this was incredible vodka sauce - perhaps the best they'd eaten! If that isn't a fantastic compliment, I don't know what is...


Marinara Sauce
2 28-oz. cans whole plum tomatoes, from San Marzano region
2 small onions, sliced really thin and then chopped very fine
3 gloves of garlic
1 heaping Tbsp. dried oregano
1 heaping Tbsp. dried basil
1 Tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium celery stalks, chopped
2 bay leaves

In a food processor, chop well the carrots and celery and set aside. Then in the processor, chop the garlic very well, too, and set aside. Next, in two batches, puree the whole tomatoes by placing them into the processor - without the added juice.

In a large pot, heat the oil for about 1-2 minutes or until very hot. Add in the onion and saute well for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Next add in the carrots and celery and saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute another 3 minutes. Then add in the herbs and salt and saute another 3 minutes. Finally, add in the tomatoes and bay leaves and mix well. Allow it to simmer for about 1 hour. Mix it a few times while simmering. Serve immediately or set aside and allow it to cool and then place in glass jars. Refrigerate up to three days and warm, gently, before serving.


Vodka Sauce
2 28-oz. cans tomato puree, from San Marzano region
1 large onion, sliced really thin and then chopped very fine
8 oz. prosciutto, finely chopped
5 gloves of garlic
1 heaping Tbsp. dried oregano
1 heaping Tbsp. dried basil
1 Tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium celery stalks, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup vodka
1 cup heavy cream, room temperature

In a food processor, chop well the carrots and celery and set aside. Then in the processor, chop the garlic very well, too, and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the oil for about 1-2 minutes or until very hot. Add in prosciutto and saute over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the prosciutto and set aside. In the oil that remains, saute the onion for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Next add in the carrots and celery and saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute another 3 minutes. Then add in the herbs and salt and saute another 3 minutes. Add back in about 3/4 of the prosciutto. Finally, add in the tomatoes and bay leaves and mix well. Allow it to simmer for about 1 hour. Mix it a few times while simmering.

If serving immediately: add in the vodka and mix well and allow it to simmer about 20minutes. Then add in heavy cream and mix well and let simmer another 5 minutes and serve.

If not serving immediately: allow sauce to cool and then place in glass jars. Before serving, heat, gently, on the stove and continue with the vodka and cream as directed above.