Slow Cooker Pasta Sauce

Source: America's Test Kitchen
https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/10184-slow-cooker-classic-marinara-sauce
Modified: Michael D'Attilo (in progress?)

SERVES Makes about 10 cups; enough for 2 pounds pasta
TIME 8 to 10 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high
Slow cooker size 4 to 7 quarts

Why This Recipe Works

There are many classic pasta sauces that are basically variations on marinara, and we wanted to come up with a formula for making them in the slow cooker, where the long simmering time would render them rich and flavorful. The biggest hurdle was choosing the right tomato products to create sauces that were neither watery nor too thick. Our solution was a combination of three different tomato products (paste, crushed, and puree). The concentrated products (paste and puree) provided strong, complex flavor without unwanted water—no need for evaporation. For all these sauces we microwaved onions and aromatics along with tomato paste to create a flavor-packed sauce base, adding other ingredients like anchovies, red pepper flakes, or pancetta to the mix to suit the particular sauce. Seasoning at the end, and adding additional herbs or other ingredients like capers and olives, provided the finishing touches.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree
½ cup dry red wine (1/4 cup wine vinegar?)
2 teaspoons sugar, plus extra for seasoning

Directions

1. Microwave onions, garlic, tomato paste, oil, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in tomatoes, tomato puree, and wine. Cover and cook until sauce is deeply flavored, 8 to 10 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.

2. Stir sugar into sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and extra sugar to taste. Before serving, stir in 2 tablespoons basil for every 5 cups sauce.

1. Combine onion, garlic, and dried spices in food processor to mince.
2. Sautee onion/spices mix in skillet with 4tsp olive oil until onions are soft and mixture is aromatic
3. Combine oil mix, canned tomatoes, wine/vinegar, and sugar in crock pot.

Cook for 6-10 hours. Low-effort sauce ideal for stewing larger meatballs, sausages, etc. without as much active attention as a proper Sunday gravy...