This basic sauce combines the freshness of raw tomatoes, bell peppers and, herbs, and a touch of apples for sweetness. Remember, with raw sauces in general, the better quality the vegetables, the better the sauce will be. This is a great dish to make when tomatoes are in season and at their peak of ripeness.
Steps
1
Preparing the Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
1/3 cup soaked sun–dried tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp chile flake
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
water to blend (optional—use soaking water from the sun–dried tomatoes)
1 1/2 cups red bell peppers, chopped
1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup apple, chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil
First, gather and prepare your mise en place.
To prepare the sauce, in a high–speed blender, add the sun–dried tomatoes, garlic, chile flake, olive oil and water and blend to a smooth paste.
Next, add the bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, apples and blend until smooth. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Once seasoned, add the basil and pulse to combine.
Hello Liana - this recipe will last about 5 days in the refrigerator. Alternatively if you know you will be making more than you will consume, you can freeze it. Just keep in mind that seasoning may need to be adjusted once defrosted.
- Chad
Hi Carol, You certainly can omit the olive oil. Just keep in mind, you may need a bit more water to get the blender moving properly, and the final texture and richness will be altered a bit, but not enough to dismiss this recipe! You could also play around with using a bit of apple sauce in its place. Cheers, Sandy
Chad S •Hello Liana - this recipe will last about 5 days in the refrigerator. Alternatively if you know you will be making more than you will consume, you can freeze it. Just keep in mind that seasoning may need to be adjusted once defrosted. - Chad
Sandy S •Hi Carol, You certainly can omit the olive oil. Just keep in mind, you may need a bit more water to get the blender moving properly, and the final texture and richness will be altered a bit, but not enough to dismiss this recipe! You could also play around with using a bit of apple sauce in its place. Cheers, Sandy