EMILY'S Basic Marinara Sauce

Just in!  The sauce served over the ziti at the RS birthday dinner.  Isn't technology wonderful? Thanks Meta:

Basic Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup red wine (we are substituting 1/4 cup chicken stock/ 1/4 cup grape  juice)

1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice

1 cup Chicken Broth or water

2 1/2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

• Place a large saucepan over medium heat and, when it is hot, add the oil. Add the garlic and cook until lightly toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the grape juice/chicken stock to deglaze the pan and cook until reduced by about a third, about 5 minutes.

• Add the oregano, tomatoes, and Chicken Broth and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Lower the heat to low and cook until the mixture starts to come together as a sauce, about 45 minutes. Add the basil, salt, and pepper.

• Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

MAKES UP TO 48 OZ.

for the pasta:

Prepare ziti according to package directions (it should be al dente, otherwise it will become too soft), drain pasta

Warm up the marinara sauce while ziti is cooking.

Combine the ziti and sauce.

Pour half the ziti in a 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese

Pour remaining ziti and sprinkle with remaining cheeses

Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes (cheese should be melted in the center)

Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese begins to brown, about 5 minutes.