Roasted Garlic Marinara

A tasty marinara sauce is a great staple to have on hand. I created this recipe because I wanted a relatively simple version that had tons of flavor without a lot of ingredients.

Ingredients:
-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
-14.5 oz can tomato sauce
-1 head of garlic
-large stalk or two of fresh basil
-1/8 tsp olive oil
-salt and pepper to taste

The most important aspect of this recipe is the roasted garlic. It adds a sweet, buttery flavor that matches well with the tomato and basil.

Start by preheating the oven to about 385. Some advise 400 or higher, but I find the garlic works best if it goes a little longer at a lower temperature. Peel off the outermost layers of the garlic and then chop off the top of the whole head. Be sure that each clove has its top cut off (you can do the last few individually if needed). Place the head in a square of foil, top with olive oil and a pinch of salt and then wrap the foil completely around the garlic. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour until the garlic is soft and golden in color.

When the garlic is cool enough to handle, pop the cloves out of the remaining skin and into a large saucepan. They should come out easily. Bruise the fresh basil a bit so the flavor will dispense easily, then drop the whole thing into the pan as well (stems and all).









Over medium heat, add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Let the whole thing simmer for 30-45 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste.





After the sauce has cooked and the flavors have melded together, remove the basil and discard. If some of the leaves stay in the pot that's fine!

Give the sauce some time to cool (to avoid burning yourself if there's any splashing), then use a potato masher to smash the garlic to oblivion.

This marinara keeps well in a sealed container in the fridge and is perfect for pizza, pasta or by the occasional spoonful!

Makes about 5 cups total. Serving size is a quarter of a cup, 1 PointsPlus per serving.

Cheers!!