Kicked Up Marinara Sauce

I've made this for years in the kitchen, usually in 3 gallon batches or more. It freezes well and is a good base for meat sauce if you want to add equal portions of browned, ground beef and Italian sausage

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 12 cups

Ingredients

• 3 (28 ounce) cans plum tomatoes
• 4  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  small onion
• 1⁄2 small bell pepper
• 1  stalk celery
• 1  carrot
• 1  cup mushroom
• 3  cloves garlic
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1  teaspoon white sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1  bay leaf
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1  pinch dried thyme
• 1⁄2 cup red wine
• 1  anchovy fillet, mashed

Directions

1. Pour 2 of the canned tomates into large bowl and mash into pieces with hands.
2. Purree contents of third can and add.
3. Dice all the vegetables and garlic and saute in the oil with bay leaf until just tender.
4. Add all remaining spices except sugar.
5. Stir for one minute.
6. Add all remaining ingredients.
7. Simmer on low heat in large, non-reactive pot (uncovered) for at least one hour.