COURTESY JOHN DELLAMANNA If you can't find Roma tomatoes, canned Roma-style are often better than poo-quality fresh tomatoes. CLICK FOR LARGE

High-quality tomatoes key to marinara

» Italian job

IF YOU CAN'T make it to the Farmers' Market for fresh tomatoes to make your marinara sauce, here's a guide to cooking with canned tomatoes, from Italian home cook John Dellamanna:

» The best choice is whole canned Italian Roma-style (plum-shaped) tomatoes. Puree in a blender before adding them to the pot. Do not use stewed tomatoes or round tomatoes.

» Tomatoes marked "Italian tomatoes in their own juice" are good. "Italian plum tomatoes in their own juice" are better. "San Marzano Italian tomatoes in their own juice" are the best.

» Crushed Italian tomatoes in puree will work well. The sauce will be thicker, sweeter and have a slight orange color.

» Most importantly, keep all ingredients simple, few and fresh. Contrary to popular belief, a good can of Italian plum tomatoes often has better flavor than cooking with fresh plum tomatoes of poor quality.

Home-style marinara sauce

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
Minced garlic, as much as you like
1/4 cup flat Italian parsley, minced (do not substitute curly parsley)
Sprinkling of oregano
6 ounces tomato paste
1/4 cup Italian wine vinegar (not balsamic)
1/4 cup hearty red Italian wine
1 15-ounce can Italian tomatoes
Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated, to taste

Cover the bottom of a heavy sauce pan with olive oil, no more than 3 to 4 tablespoons. Over a very low flame, add garlic, parsley and oregano. Do not allow the garlic to brown at any time.

Once the garlic and herbs have infused the oil with flavor, add tomato paste. As the tomato paste heats up, add Italian wine vinegar and wine. When the paste and wine/vinegar mixture sizzles, add the tomatoes.

Simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour, partially covered, with a wooden spoon placed between the rim of the pan and the lid.

Ladle sauce over cooked pasta and top with cheese, to taste.