I have posted my Marinara Sauce recipe previously. I really like it but I am addicted to trying to make something a little better every time I make it. Sometimes it is “interesting” and some time it works. This time I decided to try adding some bacon to my Marinara Sauce.
My thought was not to make the sauce have a strong bacon flavour but just to add some smoky undertones.
I started by chopping up the bacon, onion and garlic.
Then I heated a heavy pot over medium. I added the bacon and stirred just until the bacon sweated some fat to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the onion and garlic and continue to saute until the bacon has cooked through and a nice fond (golden brown colour) has formed on the bottom of the pot.
I added the rest of the ingredients and simmered for 30 minutes, covered.
We served the sauce over Penne with my Bacon Duxelle Pork Loin.
The Verdict
The bacon added a nice smoky undertone, just as I wanted. You don’t get a strong bacon taste, just a nice smoky after taste. I will do this again.
The Old Fat Guy
Ingredients
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) bacon, chopped fine
- 50 ml (1/4 cup) chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) Italian seasoning blend
- 10 ml (2 teaspoons) dried basil
- 796 ml (28 ounces) canned diced tomatoes (liquid included)
- 156 ml (5.5 ounces) tomato paste
- 3 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
- 5 ml (1 tsp) honey
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) red wine
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) apple cider vinegar
- pinch of dried hot chilies
Instructions
- Put a large pot over medium heat and put the bacon in.
- Saute just until the bacon begins to sweat some fat onto the bottom of the pan.
- Add the onion and garlic and saute until the pot bottom gets a golden coating.
- Add the Italian seasoning blend and the basil.
- Saute for 30 seconds more.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
- This recipe freezes well.
