Marinara Sauce

[Dee]

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb carrots
2 onions
8 garlic cloves, roasted is better
2 teaspoons salt
3 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes in puree
3 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 (28 ounce) can water
2 tablespoons oregano
2 tablespoons parsley
2 tablespoons sweet basil
salt and pepper, to taste as sauce cooks.
2 lbs ground sausage or ground beef or no meat.
Directions
Peel carrots, finely chop or shred.
Chop onion.
Mash garlic cloves into salt using large knife blade to make a paste.
Heat large pot on stove with olive oil.
Carmelize carrots and onions.
After the carrots and onions are VERY carmelized and smelling sweet, add garlic, add this last as it can burn easily.
If using meat in the recipe cook meat while vegetables are carmelizing.
In a seperate large bowl pour all crushed tomatoes in puree, and all tomato paste, add in all seasonings.
Swish water through all tomato cans, puree and paste getting out as much of the tomato as possible.
Mix tomatoes, water, and seasonings well.
Add to carmelized veggies in pot. Add meat if using meat. Bring to a boil.
Turn heat as low as possible and cover and simmer. Stir often scraping sides and bottom of pot. Simmer 30 minutes to an hour for a thinner sauce, or simmer 2 or more hours to make a thick marinara sauce.