Copycat Raos Marinara Sauce Food

RAO'S MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Remove tomatoes from can and place in a large bowl, reserving juices. Crush tomatoes using your hands; remove and discard the hard core from stem end, and any skin and tough membrane; set aside.
• Place oil in a large, nonreactive saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, and cook until soft and just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook until softened, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and reserved juices; season with salt. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 hour.
• Stir in basil, if using, oregano, and season with pepper; continue cooking 1 minute more. Remove from heat and serve.

RAO'S MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Remove tomatoes from can and place in a large bowl, reserving juices. Crush tomatoes using your hands; remove and discard the hard core from stem end, and any skin and tough membrance, set aside.
• Place oil in a large, nonreactive saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, and cook until soft and just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook until softened, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and reserved juices, season with sale, increase heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 hour.
• Stir in basil, if using, oregano, and season with pepper, continue cooking 1 minute more. Remove from heat and serve.

RAO'S MEATBALLS WITH MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, then add the salt pork. Sauté until fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard salt pork. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté just until softened. Add tomatoes with their juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 45 minutes. Add the basil, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute more.
• Make the meatballs: In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, veal and pork. Add the eggs, cheese, parsley and minced garlic, then salt and pepper as desired. Add the bread crumbs and mix well. Slowly add up to 2 cups water, 1/2 cup at a time, until the mixture is moist; all the water may not be needed. Shape into 1 1/2 -inch meatballs.
• Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and sauté until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes, then discard the garlic. Working in batches and taking care not to crowd the pan, add meatballs and fry until undersides are brown and slightly crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn and brown the other sides, about 5 minutes more. Transfer cooked meatballs to paper towels to drain, then add to the marinara sauce. Mix gently and serve.

QUICK AND SIMPLE MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat large, deep sided pan on medium to medium high heat.
• Coat bottom of pan with a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
• Heat a large pot of water on high until boiling for the pasta.
• Once the oil starts to ripple but before it starts smoking, dump in the onions, mushrooms and red pepper flakes. Stir the pan occasionally.
• Once the onions start to soften and the mushrooms brown (about 5-7 minutes), season with salt and stir the pan.
• Now add the bell pepper and zucchini and stir the pan occasionally.
• Once the pepper and zucchini begin to soften, add in the garlic and season again with salt continuing to stir the pan occasionally.
• At this point, the pot of water should be boiling. Season the water liberally with salt and add the pasta. Cook to al dente.
• Once the garlic is very fragrant, stir in the ground beef and break it up into little pieces.
• Continue to cook until meat is browned all the way through.
• Stir in the marinara sauce. It will be pretty thick, so add in about 1/2 cup of pasta water to thin.
• Bring sauce to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Drain the pasta and put in bowls.
• Once the sauce is done, pour over the pasta and then add some parmigiano cheese if you'd like!