Think Outside the Wing - Part 2

Yesterday we did the delicious bocconcini balls, and today we need to learn how to make the sauce.

After all, what good is a mozzarella stick or a bocconcini ball without a delicious sauce to go along with it?

I just made my own simple marinara sauce to serve with the boccocini balls. You can use plum tomatoes if you can't find the crushed San Marzano tomatoes. We have a brand locally (although I have purchased it in Las Vegas as well) called San Marzano. Now, I have heard some people complain that these tomatoes are not really San Marzano tomatoes because they are grown here in the United States.

Technically, they are right, but this company never claimed to be selling San Marzano tomatoes, it is just their brand name...a little deceitful yes, but I have to tell you, I love these tomatoes. Their crushed tomatoes are deliciously chunky and are great for making sauces where they will be put on things that give off a lot of liquid, such as eggplant parmigiana, or lasagna. If you can get a can of these try them, they are very good.

If you can purchased real San Marzano tomatoes, go ahead and use them. If you can't find the crushed, you can use the plum tomatoes in their liquid. Just take the tomatoes between your fingers and crush them. You don not want to use a blender to puree the tomatoes for this sauce as you want a more chunky tomato. This is a rustic sauce.

Chunky Marinara Sauce for the Friend Bocconcini Balls:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 can (28 oz.) San Marzano crushed tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dried basil

In a medium saucepan over low to medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. As soon as the oil gets hot, quickly add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes quickly so the garlic does not burn. Add the basil and salt and pepper to taste.

Rinse the can of tomatoes with about ¼ of the can filled with water. Add the water to the sauce. Let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes stirring frequently (make sure you scrape along the bottom of the saucepan, as crushed tomatoes can burn easily). Place in a serving bowl along side the bocconcini balls. The sauce can be done in advance and reheated.

Here is what you will need for the sauce:

As always prepare everything that you can in advance

Peel and crush the garlic and set aside


Open the can of tomatoes


Measure out the basil and set aside


In a medium saucepan over low to
medium heat, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil


just enough to cover the bottom of the pot


As soon as the oil gets hot,
quickly add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds.


The garlic will begin to sizzle


Add the tomatoes quickly so the garlic does not burn.


Stir to incorporate the garlic and oil


Add the basil


salt


and pepper to taste


Rinse the can of tomatoes with about
¼ of the can filled with water


Add the water to the sauce


Let the sauce simmer for about
15 minutes stirring frequently
(make sure you scrape along the bottom
of the saucepan, as crushed tomatoes can burn easily)


Place in a serving bowl along side the bocconcini balls.


The sauce can be done in advance and reheated.