Marinara Sauce by The Gazette

Yield: 4 cups, enough for 1 pound of pasta

Ingredients:

2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons sugar (as needed)

Instructions:

1. Pour tomatoes into a strainer over a large bowl. Open tomatoes with your hands and remove and discard fibrous cores. Let tomatoes drain about 5 minutes. Measure out and reserve 3/4 cup tomatoes from strainer; set remaining tomatoes aside in strainer. Reserve 2 1/2 cups strained tomato juice, discarding any extra.
2. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened and golden around edges, 6-8 minutes. Stir in garlic and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes from strainer and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring every minute, until liquid has evaporated and tomatoes begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, and a brown fond forms around the edges, 10-12 minutes.
3. Stir in wine and cook until thick and syrupy, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato juice, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally and loosening any browned bits, until sauce is thick, about 8 - 10 minutes.
4. Transfer sauce to a food processor or use an immersion blender in the skillet. Add the remaining 3/4 cup reserved tomatoes, and process until slightly chunky, about 8 long pulses. Return sauce to the skillet, add basil and extra-virgin olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste.