Basic Marinara Sauce

Basic Marinara Sauce

(I talked about this recipe here)

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 cups onion, chopped (about 3 medium onions)
1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar*
1/2 cup-1 cup dry red wine*
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 bay leaves
6 garlic cloves, crushed
56 ounces crushed tomatoes, undrained (2 28-ounce cans)
29 ounces diced tomatoes, undrained (2 14.5-ounce cans)
12 ounces tomato paste (2 6-ounce cans)

*Alysha's original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 cup of red wine. I added a bit more sugar and wine to adjust for my personal tastes - you may want to start out with the original amount and adjust later, if you want to, after tasting it.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot (I use my Dutch oven) over medium heat.
Add onions and sugar. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, or until golden, stirring occasionally.
Stir in wine and cook 1 minute.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, basil, salt and pepper, crushed red pepper, bay leaves, garlic, tomatoes, and tomato paste.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 6 hours, stirring occasionally (if you don't have 6 hours to wait, Alysha says the minimum you can get away with is 2 hours - but the longer it simmers, the more the flavor will intensify).

makes 9 cups
source: The Savory Notebook

HUs: 3 per cup