Slow-Cooked Tomato Sauce

• 2 medium carrots, peeled
• 1 medium onion
• 6 cloves garlic
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 5 (28-ounce) cans whole San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 sprig fresh oregano
• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 6 tablespoons butter
• Fresh basil or oregano leaves

In the bowl of a food processor, combine carrots, onion and garlic. Pulse to finely chop. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a 6 1/2 qt. deep Dutch oven. Once hot, add chopped carrots, onion and garlic. Stir occasionally until soft and translucent. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.

While the vegetables are cooking, open cans of whole tomatoes and crush by hand or cut into pieces. Stir into the onion and carrot mixture and bring to a rapid simmer. Add oregano. Reduce heat to low and cover with the lid slightly ajar. Cook, stirring every 30 minutes, for 4 hours or until reduced by a third. The sauce should cook at a very slow and gentle bubble, so that the onions and carrots don’t burn on the bottom of the pan.

Once the sauce is reduced, stir in the crushed tomatoes. Add butter and continue to cook another 30 minutes. Gently stir, then taste and season with additional salt if necessary.

Serve with freshly cooked pasta or polenta, and garnish with torn basil or oregano. Freeze any extra sauce up to 2 months.