Marinara

Tomato-Basil Marinara Pressure Cooker

Tomato-Basil Marinara Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

Makes 6 cups, enough for 1½ to 2 pounds pasta – Cooker: 5- to 7-quart – Time: 4 minutes at HIGH pressure

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 to 4 cloves garlic, to taste, chopped
• 2 (28-ounce) cans plum tomatoes in juice, undrained
• ½ cup dry white wine or water
• 15 fresh basil leaves, cut across into chiffonade or torn
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

CREMINI MUSHROOMS

Method

1. In a 5- to 7-quart pressure cooker, heat the oil over medium-high heat
2. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, a minute or so
3. Do not let it brown; reduce the heat if necessary
4. Add the tomatoes (crushing them in your hand as you do) and their juice, wine, and half the basil
5. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 seconds
6. Close and lock the lid
7. If you like, place a heat diffuser on the burner and the pressure cooker on the diffuser
8. Set the burner heat to high
9. When the cooker reaches HIGH pressure, reduce the burner heat as low as you can and still maintain HIGH pressure
10. Set a timer to cook for 4 minutes
11. Remove the pot from the heat
12. Open the cooker with the Quick Release method
13. Be careful of the steam as you remove the lid
14. Stir in the remaining fresh basil, and taste the sauce for salt and pepper
15. Use or let cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days or the freezer up to 3 months, though the basil will suffer
16. Tomato-Basil Marinara with Prosciutto: Add 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped, along with the garlic in Step 1
17. Proceed as directed
18. Tomato-Basil Marinara with Cremini Mushrooms: Add 12 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms in Step 1 along with the garlic and cook until sizzling but not browned
19. If you like, substitute beef broth for the wine
20. Proceed as directed