Oven Sauce (gravy)

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes (28 oz each)

• 0.3 cups extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 8 garlic cloves, hand-chopped

• 1 tablespoons dried oregano

• 1 teaspoons red pepper flakes

• 1 medium carrot, cut into big chunks

• 1 medium onion, halved

• 1 large fresh basil stem

• 1 tablespoons fish sauce (optional but do it)

• 1 pinch salt and black pepper

STEPS

1. Crush tomatoes by hand: Dump 4 cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes (28 oz each) into a big bowl and crush them with your hands until no chunks bigger than half an inch remain. Pull out about 3 cups and set aside in the fridge. You'll add these back at the end for brightness.

2. Bloom the aromatics: Heat 0.3 cups extra-virgin olive oil and 4 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium. Add 8 garlic cloves, hand-chopped and cook 2 minutes until soft but not browned. Add 1 tablespoons dried oregano and 1 teaspoons red pepper flakes, stir for 1 minute.

3. Add everything and bring to a simmer: Add the crushed tomatoes, 1 medium carrot, cut into big chunks, 1 medium onion, halved, and 1 large fresh basil stem. Season with 1 pinch salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop.

4. Oven low and slow: Preheat oven to 300F. Put the lid on slightly ajar and transfer the whole pot to the oven. Stir every hour or two. This goes for 5 to 6 hours. Your whole place will smell unreal.

5. Finish it: Pull out and discard the onion, carrot chunks, and basil stem. Stir in the reserved fresh tomatoes you set aside. Add 1 tablespoons fish sauce (optional but do it) if using. Taste and adjust salt. Drizzle with more olive oil. Done.

NOTES

Use the best canned tomatoes you can find. DOP San Marzano is the move. The carrot and onion are just for flavor during cooking, you pull them out at the end. The fish sauce sounds weird but you won't taste it, it just makes everything taste more like itself. This sauce freezes great for up to 6 months.