Marinara Sauce

I made this for recipe club.  It's a Giada De Laurentiis recipe, and it's both Rob and Katharine approved.  The taste is better after it's been sitting in the fridge for a day or two.  The recipe notes say to freeze any extra in 2-cup increments to save for up to 3 months.  

-       ½ Cup Extra Virgin olive Oil

-       2 Small Onion, Finely Chopped

-       2 Garlic Cloves, Finely Chopped

-       2 Celery Stalks, Finely Chopped

-       2 Carrots, peeled and Finely Chopped

-       ½ teaspoon of sea salt, plus more to taste

-       ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste

-       2 (32 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

-       2 Dried Bay Leaves

In a Large Pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Sauté until all vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste.