Amaretto Marinara

Sorry for the longer than expected delay in getting this posted. I have moved back to school and the weather here is gorgeous so I have been out enjoying it--and before that was the 2 day drive and the packing/unpacking--well, nonetheless, this is the pizza/pasta sauce I wrote about in my previous post.

As with any of these recipes, feel free to adjust the seasonings to your preference. I like my pasta and pizza sauces chunky, but if you don't, just drop the stick blender in and give it a whirl.

Amaretto Marinara

1 teaspoon olive oil
½ large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
4-5 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 28-oz can tomatoes in sauce (chopped or diced)
2 ounces amaretto liquer
¼ teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil, or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 bay leaf (optional)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
½ teaspoon original Tabasco sauce (optional)
2 teaspoons black pepper

Saute onions over medium heat in olive oil until they turn lightly golden. Stir in garlic powder and mushrooms. Allow the mushrooms to cook 4-5 minutes or until most of the water has cooked out of them and the onions are beginning to brown. Add in the tomato paste and the can of chopped or diced tomatoes. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the amaretto and seasonings. Allow to simmer 20-25 minutes (over medium-low to low heat), or until it becomes thickened, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings to preference. Fish out the bay leaf before serving.

Hint: Add a pinch of sugar and then a pinch of salt if the flavor is okay, but a little flat. This will depend somewhat on the brand and style of tomato paste and canned tomatoes you use.