I’m so, so happy to be sharing this recipe with you today. See, I’m part of The Secret Recipe Club – where a bunch of food bloggers get together and are assigned a blog from which to pick a recipe and recreate it for themselves. Of course, it’s all a secret until the big reveal.
And today’s the big reveal for my group! Hooray!
I was assigned Judee’s Gluten Free A-Z Blog - a blog full of healthy, fresh recipes which (let’s not kid here) I need to spend a lot more time focusing on. After delving through many recipes I found one which immediately piqued my interest: A fresh, simple tomato sauce. As we all know, I’m a big fan of pasta. Big. And I’m always looking for new ways to dress it.
So I tried this recipe, slightly adapted, and let me tell you: It’s ah-maaaaaazing. Like, “I wanted to eat it with a spoon right there on the spot” amazing. The addition of raisins to add natural sweetness is brilliant, and brightens things up beautifully. I can see using it as a spread on sandwiches or on top of fish, or paired with mozzarella as a twist on caprese salad.
Or, as I said, straight off a spoon.
I couldn’t find sun-dried tomatoes at the store (seriously), so I took a can of diced tomatoes and roasted them in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. It really intensified the flavor.
I also didn’t have fresh basil (seriously, my store sucks sometimes) so I used basil paste instead. Sometimes you just have to work with what you’ve got, right?
Once the sauce was finished whizzing around in the processor, I tossed it with hot pasta and let the residual heat warm everything up. Judee’s suggestion, and I think this is brilliant, is using spiral-sliced zucchini instead of pasta. In the past I’ve actually used a vegetable peeler to peel thin “strands” off of yellow squash and you know what? It was really good!
But in this instance, I was in the mood for p-a-s-t-a.
Add a little fresh grated parm and voila! Heaven.
Thanks, Judee, for this terrific recipe!
If you’re interested in learning more about the Secret Recipe Club, check it out here! I’m already looking forward to next month’s assignment.
Adapted from Gluten Free A-Z Blog
1 small can diced tomatoes, drained (1/2 cup after drying)
2 1/2 cups fresh tomatoes
1/4 cup raisins, soaked in hot water for 1 hour
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/4 cup basil paste, or 1/2 cup fresh basil (or more to taste)
1/4 cup olive oil
Sea salt to taste
If using canned tomatoes, drain and spread tomatoes in a baking pan. Roast for 30 minutes at 400 degrees, until dried. Should result in around 1/2 cup dried tomatoes.
Add tomatoes, raisins, garlic and basil to bowl of food processor. While processing, add olive oil in a slow stream. Process until smooth.
Makes around 2 cups of sauce.
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How yummy this sounds and how good it looks. Judee has great recipes and you have done her proud, I am sure. You, sure, sold me on this recipe.
Thanks! Yes, I was really impressed with Judee’s blog and her commitment to health and good eating. I need to take a page or two from her philosophy, for sure!
Jen, this looks delicious! Your pics are amazing! I’ve just joined and looking forward to this myself!
It’s so fun to meet new bloggers in this way – to really explore their work and pick what you like best for your own blog. And it’s not easy when you get assigned a blog full of great stuff!
Jen,
What a fabulous reveiw of my recipe. Thanks so much, and I’m glad you enjoyed the marinara sauce on your pasta. Your pictures are so amazing, they make me want to eat some right now.
I love your sauce so much! I just had some for lunch and YUM!
Thank you for your kind, kind words.
That sauce looks fierce! I love how you improvised when you didn’t have or couldn’t find ingredients, like roasting the diced tomatoes and using basil paste. OMG, I wish I could have a plate of that now! Beautifully done and what a great SRC pick!
Thanks! Yeah, I was disheartened when I couldn’t find everything I needed, for sure. But I love basil paste – it stays good for so long in the fridge, too. It’s good to use in the colder months for sure.
This looks fabulous! I love pasta too and am always looking for new ways to enjoy it. I love that this sauce is so simple!
It’s so easy but packs such a punch, I just love it. Now I’m thinking of other things to add to it – maybe spinach, or a dash of red pepper, or whatever I happen to have laying around.
Brilliant adding raisins to the sauce, I’m going to have to give this recipe a try.
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my SRC recipe this month: Welsh Cakes.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
I’ll be honest, I was skeptical at first on the raisins. But they’re genius! I’ll come over and check you out.
Raisins and tomato… That is new for me! I bet it was a good sweet sauce. Looks like it definitely
It is my first month in SRC and I really like what everyone come up with and how nice everyone is!
Everyone IS so nice! I do like a good sweet sauce every so often – with the parmesan cheese it works so well. Sweet and salty. Mmmm…!
The raisins threw me off, but after your review, I’m needing to try it. Very interested to know what the family’s response will be. I’ll surprise them with the ingredients. Shhhh…
Oh, they really add so much. More than just plain sugar to cut any tartness/acidity from the tomatoes. SO good! Good luck fooling everyone!
This looks fantastic! Love the idea of adding golden raisins…I really enjoy them in savory dishes and they sound really great here!
Oh, so stinking good, I can’t even tell you. The sweetness of the raisins plus the saltiness of the cheese on top (optional of course but I can’t do without it!) and the richness of the olive oil? Unreal.
I NEED THIS IN MY WORLD!!! NOW!!!!! THANKS FOR SHARING AT WONKA WEDNESDAY!
It’s very good, I highly recommend it.
This really looks wonderful! What a great dish for the fall!
It really is perfect!
That looks so wonderful. Cannot wait to try it out. Come over and visit. We have a terrific apple recipe today.
Thanks! Sorry to be so late but will stop by!
Isn’t that what cooking is all about…a little improvising and you get a delicious dish!!
So true! I love seeing what else will work in a dish!
Its dinner time and my mouth is watering looking at this. Definitely bookmarking it! Going to try it soon! Great SRC pick!
It was tough, picking just one recipe!
Hi Jen,
What a great Marinara! All the other entries from the SRC look amazing. Hope you are having a great week end and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
I love SRC! Such a great idea, and the group is always expanding it seems!
I’ll be back this week for sure!
I’ve always been nervous to make my own marinara, but this sounds very good, and doable!
Thanks for linking up with Friday Food on MomTrends.com!
~Shannon (Food Channel Editor @ MomTrends)
Thanks for hosting such a great party, so full of inspiration! I look forward to visiting again this week.
This looks to die for. Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to try it!
It’s very good – my new favorite use for it is just spread on a thick slice of fresh bread. Be still my heart, I’m telling you! I hope you enjoy it.
This is a must try in my book! I’ve been dehydrating tomatoes from my garden and they would work great in this recipe.
Oooooh THAT sounds interesting! Do you use a food dehydrator or do you have your own method?
YUM! I LOVE your recipe ! Would you come over to Cast Party Wednesday tomorrow and share your tasty recipe with us?
Thanks,
I hope to see you there!
http://ladybehindthecurtain.com