Fresh & Easy Marinara Sauce

Place chopped garlic and olive oil into a medium saute pan over medium-low heat. Let the garlic sizzle and get a little brown, about 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, drain the tomato juice from the cans into a bowl. When the garlic has begun to brown and soften, add the tomato juice from both cans into the saute pan. Stir it around, then place the lid on the pan and let the tomato juice and garlic simmer and get to know one another for about 5 minutes.

Next, take the tomatoes one by one and squish them into the sauce. (I use my hands because I like getting messy!) You want them to end up in small chunks throughout the sauce, and you want to make sure all the juices from the tomatoes end up in the saute pan! Once all the tomatoes have been added, add the red pepper flakes, basil, and salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Give the sauce a good stir, then put the lid back on and let it simmer for about another 7-10 minutes.

The sauce is done at this point! I prefer my sauce a bit thicker, but you could also add a bit of the pasta water to loosen it a bit, or the liquid from a can of crab if that is what you are adding to the pasta. This is an easy marinara to manipulate, so you could also grate some fresh cheese into it, or add freshly steamed vegetables. Enjoy!