Marinara Sauce

Talk turned to signature dishes over at CT this week. Defined as a dish that you've made repeatedly and have been asked by others to make, something you are proud of and that's been with you for a long time, I decided that my marinara sauce would have to be my signature dish. It's not difficult to make and there's no secret to making it. But I can make it with my eyes closed and it turns out good everytime. I see no reason to try another basic tomato sauce. I've given the "recipe" to people but the recipe is sort of just a vague description of what I do. It's really just an adaptation of my Mom's sauce. In my own hands, I reduced the onion, use fresh basil, and puree a bit with the stick blender for a smoother finish. Also, I upgraded on the tomatoes because I think Muir Glen Whole Tomatoes are especially good. I think I'll work on a concrete recipe and include it here soon. For now the picture above will have to do.

My marinara goes especially well with these fantastic ravioli from Perfect Pasta. This is a company from the Chicago area. I don't know if they're national or not. I find the pasta in the freezer section of the local Whole Foods. We like the big pillowy cheese ones, but there are quite a few varieties. All are made from rich egg pasta. You can really taste the ricotta inside. I think the quality is very good.