1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, until the oil shimmers. 2. Add the onion and garlic; cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until they are golden and fragrant. 3. Stir in the pepperoni; cook for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and evenly coated, then add the toasted fennel seed and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. 4. Add the tomatoes and their juices (to taste), the broth and the bay leaf; stir to incorporate. 5. Once the mixture starts to bubble at the edges, cover and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. 6. The pepperoni slices will be soft, with a deeper color. 7. Remove from the heat. 8. Working in batches as needed, transfer to a food processor or a high-powered blender (including the bay leaf); puree until smooth. 9. The sauce is ready to use. Or cool, cover and refrigerate or freeze. 10. NOTE: Toast the fennel seed in a small dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the skillet often to keep the seeds from burning. They will become fragrant and slightly darker in color. This only takes a couple of minutes. 11. He also recomends using San Marzano tomatoes for this recipe. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nutrition
Ingredients
