Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce

Get ready to gobble up your new family favourite - a one-pot spaghetti dinner doused in Marinara sauce. ...MORE + LESS -

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic or 1/4 tsp (1 mL) garlic powder

1 small green pepper

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive or vegetable oil

1 can (14 oz/398 mL) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (8 oz/250 mL) tomato sauce

1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh or 1 tsp (5 mL) dried basil leaves

1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) or 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried oregano leaves

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

1/4 tsp (1 mL) fennel seed, if desired

1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) pepper

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt (for cooking spaghetti), if desired

8 oz uncooked spaghetti

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1

Peel and chop the onion to measure 1/2 cup. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Cut the bell pepper in half lengthwise, and cut out seeds and membrane. Chop enough bell pepper to measure 1/4 cup. Wrap any remaining bell pepper with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
2

In a 2-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3

Stir in the tomatoes with their liquid, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the fennel seed and pepper. Heat to boiling over high heat. Once mixture is boiling, reduce heat just enough so mixture bubbles gently and does not spatter.
4

Cover with lid; cook 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes to make sure mixture is just bubbling gently and to prevent sticking. Lower the heat if the sauce is bubbling too fast.
5

After the sauce has been cooking about 20 minutes, fill a 4-quart Dutch oven about half full of water. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt if desired. Cover with lid; heat over high heat until the water is boiling rapidly. Add the spaghetti. Heat to boiling again. Boil uncovered 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender but not mushy.
6

Place a strainer or colander in the sink. Pour the spaghetti in the strainer to drain. Serve with the tomato sauce.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce: In a 12-inch skillet, cook 1 pound lean (at least 80%) ground beef with the onion, garlic and bell pepper over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked. Place a strainer or colander in a bowl; line with a double thickness of paper towels. Pour the beef mixture into the strainer to drain. Return beef mixture to skillet; discard paper towelsand any juices in the bowl. Continue with step 3.
Success: The sauce may look ready to eat after heating to a boil. However, the longer cook time over low heat is necessary to develop the flavours.
Cook's Tip: A tightly held bundle of spaghetti, about the diameter of a quarter, weighs about 4 ounces.
Simmering Marinara Sauce: Heat to boiling. Reduce heat just enough so mixtures bubbles gently and doesn't spatter.