Robust Pizza Sauce

We take pizza very seriously at our house, so I always try to have fresh homemade sauce on hand. One cup is the perfect amount for a 12-14 inch pie and it's easy to store a good supply using very little freezer space if you freeze it by the cup in 1-quart resealable bags and stack them flat on your freezer shelf.

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 64
• Yields: 8 cups

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2  tablespoons garlic, minced
• 3  ounces anchovies
• 1  small  jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1  green bell pepper, diced
• 1  onion, diced
• 2  stalks celery & leaves, diced
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  cup  merlot
• 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2  tablespoons fresh oregano
• 2  tablespoons fresh basil
• 2  tablespoons fresh thyme
• 2  tablespoons fresh marjoram
• 3  bay leaves

Directions

1. Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. When it is hot, add the anchovies, garlic, and minced red pepper, Stir until the anchovies are about completely melted, keeping the heat low enough to prevent the garlic from browing. Add more EVOO if necessary.
2. Next, add the green bell pepper, onion, celery, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat until well wilted taking care not to let them brown, about 10 minutes. Again, add a little more EVOO if it appears too dry.
3. While the fragrants are cooking down, pile your fresh herbs on your cutting board, and with a chef's knife, chop them until very fine.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan, stir until well mixed, and simmer over low heat until desired consistency, about one hour. Stir frequently to make sure the bottom doesn't scorch.
5. When it has cooked down to your preferred consistency, turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves and use a blender stick to smooth it out to a smoother texture, pureeing most of the larger pieces of vegetables.
6. Label and date 8 1-quart resealable bags. Using a 1-cup measuring cup, pour one cup of sauce into each bag, lay flat as you remove as much air as possible while sealing each bag. Stack flat in a pile on your freezer floor to store.