foodie wednesday: dad's red sauce

craig and i have been enjoying heaping bowlfuls of my dad's scrumptious marinara sauce for dinner for the past two days, so i couldn't help but share my dad's awesome recipe with you all.  below is the "typical" version, though he tends to improvise every time he makes it, so i encourage you to get creative too!  (for instance, in this most recent batch, he roasted the fresh tomatoes prior to incorporating them into the sauce to add richness and left out the ground turkey.) 

credit {here}

mangia, mangia : )

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
5-7 fresh garden tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup good red wine
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 dried bay leaves
1 lb cooked ground turkey or chicken sausage (optional)



credit {here}

1. in a large pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.

2. add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.

3. add the tomatoes, wine, parmesan, and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour.

4. remove and discard the bay leaf. (add cooked ground turkey meat or chicken sausage if desired.) season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste.

i love this sauce so much. i don't even need pasta...or even bread...to enjoy it.  i eat it like a hearty tomato stew.  yum!

oh, and on another note, i enjoyed an amazing lunch with my dad yesterday at le bec fin in philly.  he was so sweet and requested a father-daughter lunch date before my wedding (in a week and a half!!!).