TOTAL TIME: 5 Hours | SERVES: 8-10 | PRINT RECIPE
- 2 medium carrots, peeled
- 1 medium onion
- 6 cloves garlic
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 3⁄4 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 5 (28-ounce) cans whole San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 sprig fresh oregano
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 6 tablespoons butter
- Fresh basil or oregano leaves
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine carrots, onion and garlic. Pulse to finely chop. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a 6 1⁄2 qt. deep Dutch oven. Once hot, add chopped carrots, onion and garlic. Stir occasionally until soft and translucent. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
- While the vegetables are cooking, open cans of whole tomatoes and crush by hand or cut into pieces. Stir into the onion and carrot mixture and bring to a rapid simmer. Add oregano. Reduce heat to low and cover with the lid slightly ajar. Cook, stirring every 30 minutes, for 4 hours or until reduced by a third. The sauce should cook at a very slow and gentle bubble, so that the onions and carrots don’t burn on the bottom of the pan.
- Once the sauce is reduced, stir in the crushed tomatoes. Add butter and continue to cook another 30 minutes. Gently stir, then taste and season with additional salt if necessary.
- Serve with freshly cooked pasta or polenta, and garnish with torn basil or oregano. Freeze any extra sauce up to 2 months.