MAKING & FREEZING MARINARA SAUCE, quick & easy; no sugar, low fat & salt

An easy marinara sauce for saving your bacon in the kitchen on weeknights...

Quick & easy authentic Italian Tomato Sauce (Marinara) - here on wholemeal pasta.  Freezes beautifully, defrosts within minutes.
'Rather delicious, this, for something so simple and easy!'

Unlike, say, bolognaise, Marinara sauce has only a few ingredients to prep but is full of flavour.  

Okay, the few ingredients include red wine and a bit of garlic but who minds that when so little effort provides so much flavour?

And unlike supermarket sauces, you know exactly what goes into it; there are no nasty additives.     

In our energy conscious times, it takes a minimum 15mins to cook -- though 67 prefers to simmer it gently for an hour on the stovetop or a couple of hours in the slow cooker.  Both fill the kitchen with lovely aromas and adds a bit of warmth.

In it's original Italian iteration, the sauce is stirred into drained, cooked pasta and sprinkled with parmesan.

But why stop there?  

67goingon50 often 'cheats', using freezer portions as a base for meat or vegan bolognaise (recipe will be posted elsewhere in the blog ), or mixed into hot rice with leftover sausage, ham or tofu. 

It can be used as a sauce for meat and fish (escalopes & spaghetti in marinara sauce - yum!)

67 even cooks down a portion size over med high until it has halved & thickened, using it as a pizza base or to liven up a toast topper of leftover meat, veg & cheese.  

Making marinara sauce is the easiest way of ensuring a supply of healthy tomato sauce tucked away in your freezer.  

Cost: £2.50'ish

Makes: 6 single portions (the recipe doubles easily)

Ingredients:

15ml good olive oil

1 finely chopped onion

1.5 tsp minced garlic

120ml red wine such as Chianti

2 x 400g tins crushed tomatoes or chopped plum tomatoes in puree

1 tbsp fresh (if poss) or 1 tsp dried parsley OR basil

1-1.5 tsp salt, to taste

1/2 tsp pepper

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a decent sized pan (30cm) pan over med heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 5 to 10 mins
2. Add garlic; stir into onions; cook 1 more minute. 
3. Add wine; turn heat to high, stir; use a spatula to scrape up all the brown bits in the pan until almost all the liquid has gone, 3'ish minutes
4. Stir in tomatoes, parsley, salt & pepper
5. Turn heat down to low; cover & let bubble gently 15 mins
6. If eating right away, take out the amount needed.  Add a bit of cr4eam or for small people, stir in some plain yoghurt.
7. Freeze the rest in portions suitable for the household (see below)
8. When ready to use, defrost overnight in the bottom of the fridge.  But If you've forgotten to, never fear; place  bag in a bowl of water and the magic of chemistry turns it back to liquid within 15-20 minutes

Freezing Marina Sauce (or soups)

1.  What you'll need for measuring:

a heavy cup with a wide mouth

measuring cups: 1 cup/250ml; 1/2 cup /125ml; 1/3cup/85ml

Line the cup with a freezer bag; use measuring cups to fill with required portions

• A single portion is usually 1/3 cup (far left) - it will fit into the smallest snack bag (see bag details below) but should be carefully held in the cup of the hand as it is filled  
• The half cup size (middle) is sufficient for 2 people but if using sauce with mince or vegetables, 2/3 - 1 cup would be a better portion.  
• The one cup size (far right) is suitable for Marina sauce for 4 OR bolognaise for 2-3 

2.  What you need for filling: sealable airtight sturdy freezer bags:

snack size

sandwich size

Bags are reusable 2-3 times if washed thoroughly after use

• Top left sandwich bag: flimsy, ok for sandwiches if flap is taped down but not really for liquids unless you use two bags and tie the top with string to prevent leakage.  
• Bottom left and right bags: suitable for sandwiches but because they are strong, air-tight and sealable they work well with liquids.  There's not much difference between the bags in size; both can be used for half and full-cup portions of sauce.  (They're also good for milk for singletons.  This size is excellent for left over cooked meat or  uncooked chicken pieces, shoulder steaks, casserole meats, salmon steak etc.)
• Top right 'snack' bags: suitable for singleton portion of sauce ie 1/3 cup.  Be careful filling them or there'll be sauce all over you or the counter.

3.  What you need for labelling:

- a felt pen saying what the product is and in what quantity OR

- a sticky label indicating the above

- note: some people like surprises and don't bother to label

4.  What you need for 'flash freezing: 

-  a flat tray; the bags will be laid flat on the tray and frozen for 3-4 hours; the tray is removed and the bags stacked neatly in a corner (saving freezer space) 

5.  What you might need/want for organising freezer space: 

- much larger freezer bags grouping different groups of food  OR 

- plastic container which keep items separate from others 

6. Use by...

   - within 6 months but 67goingon50 prefers to use most sauces within 4 months

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This recipe  has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.