Pasta Marinara

"Life is a combination of magic and pasta."
Federico Fellini

   Every cook needs a marinara in her pocket and in her heart.  This isn't grandma's 12-hour simmered sauce; it's quick, fresher and more adaptable.  It's what you can make for just yourself on a day when you haven't been to the store and need comfort food.  It can be a spicy sauce with the addition of a bit of dried red pepper.  Blend with tortellini and grilled Italian sausage for the night you have a friend to dinner.  Keep it in the freezer in small batches and defrost  in the microwave to dress up a bit of cold, roasted chicken or to stir into some rice dried almost beyond saving. Spoon a little over fried eggs and top with cheese to make a couple of eggs feel more like a real meal.  It makes the dinner if you have a celebration and the bucks for some grilled tuna (see below).  Ladle it into a pasta bowl over and/or under the tuna and add some orzo stirred up with sauteed spinach and garlic or onions.   The options are multitude and all are happy. 

Tuna Marinara with Sauteed Spinach and Onions

 Pasta Marinara serves 2   --  easily doubles

• 1/2 pound  whole wheat linguine or your choice of pasta shape (I like Whole Foods 365 brand best)
• 1 tablespoon butter (use olive oil for vegan version)
• 1/3 cup onion, minced
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 1-2 tablespoons minced carrot, optional  (Don't overdo the carrot; it'll ruin the sauce.)
• 1 28-oz can whole tomatoes (I like Cento, but it can be pricey.)
• Pinch of sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
•  1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1/8 t freshly ground pepper or more to taste

1.   Heat large skillet or a 3-quart pot with butter/oil over medium heat.  Add onion, celery and carrot (if you're using it) and cook about 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes, stir and break up by pressing down with a  large fork or a potato masher. Add parsley and a bit of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring regularly. Taste and adjust seasonings (add a tiny bit more salt, sugar or pepper, if needed)
2. Meantime, bring 6 quarts well-salted and peppered water to boil in a large soup pot.
3. When at a rolling boil, add pasta and cook about 11 minutes til al dente (Just a bit of resistance when you bite into it.)  Drain, return to pot and keep warm (cover if you need to)
4. Place a serving of pasta on each of two plates (or in pasta bowls) and top with sauce.  Add cheese (or basil) if you like it.  Unless you're terribly hungry, you'll have some sauce for tomorrow's breakfast eggs or to spike up a simple soup.

Solo Cook's Notes:  You could also

• add a pinch of dried red pepper 
• add a pinch of dried red pepper and a few shrimp at end of cooking
• add a tsp of minced garlic to the sauce
• top finished dish with some fresh basil  
• saute a few scallops and eat with a bit of this sauce
• dust with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese 
• give the dish a big extra grind of black pepper for garnish
• make a double or triple batch  and freeze some in plastic or glass freezer containers.