Marinara Sauce

When I'm reading a recipe and it asks me to add or jar of prepared sauce I am often a little disappointed. Not only does it feel like I'd be cheating, but to me it also indicates that I'm probably going be missing something on flavour. Now don't get me wrong, the stuff in jars can be awesome if you've got a busy night and dinner is little more than the fuel you need to get everything accomplished, but when the evening meal is your chance to sit down and take a few quiet moments with those you love, then the canned stuff just doesn't cut it for me. I think I may have been taking this cooking thing too seriously, but I'm still enjoying it so I'll keep going.  The recipe I was planning for one night during the week was a lasagne kind of recipe and it called for a jar of pasta sauce.  That was all, no direction, no nothing. And in my mind this could be dangerous for the inexperienced.  Considering the price of the half tasty pasta sauces out there I thought I should try my hand at my own, and I had a few minutes so I began searching.  Now I didn't want this to be the all day, make enough for the Winter kind of pasta sauce that you hear about in real Italian families, I just wanted something with a little more love and flavour than the bought stuff.  I happened on the recipe below, and was a little disappointed that it called for canned tomatoes (especially given my rant above), but this was going to be a mid-week meal (and a week that I'd been a bit off colour at that) and so I gave in this time.  Next time I'll be sure to dedicate a Sunday and do it right.

It was quick and easy, which is what you need when you're just making that little extra effort as I was. It also smelled delicious which really made me want to boil up some pasta and just throw it on as is for my lunch, but I knew that then I would have to make this again, which wouldn't be all that bad except that we were now out of tomatoes, and there was no way I could make it to the supermarket and back in my current condition. (Note to self: don't do a crazy gym workout when you're feeling a little congested and tired, it only ends badly)  So this batch was it for me this week, but the process was altogether pleasant and so I will most definitely make this myself again. It's been a while since we've made a pasta dish and I think it's time to get back on it. Homemade vodka sauce here I come!

1/4 cup of olive oil*
4 cloves of garlic sliced in half
1 35oz can of imported Italian tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste
3 leaves of basil, washed, patted dry and chopped

Place garlic and olive oil in large sauce pan. Turn heat to medium and cook until garlic is soft and lightly browned.

Crush the tomatoes and add with their juices.  Fill empty tomato can 1/4 of the way with water and add to the tomatoes. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook until thickened approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Add chopped basil at very end, stir in and cook for 1 minute more.

*I made a half batch this time round