Fancy marinara

Use a big pot; I believe mine is six quarts. Saute the onions in the olive oil, with salt, until they visibly start to brown.

Add the carrot and continue another couple of minutes.

Add the celery, pepper and garlic and cook another couple of minutes (no longer saute'ing because there's just too much in the pan).

Add the wine, tomatoes, hot sauce, dried tomato bits, pepper, bay leaves and fennel, and stir. Turn down the heat once it starts to bubble, and maintain a simmer.

While the rest is simmering, chop the basil, oregano and spinach, and add those as they're ready.

Maintain the uncovered simmer until the sauce reduces to a consistency that's a just little thinner than your desired final result (the tomato paste will thicken it some later). Stir occasionally, but there's nothing in it yet that burns very easily.

Simmer covered for thirty minutes. Stir occasionally, but do not open the lid for the last several minutes to make the inside of the pot fairly sterile.

Turn off the heat and let it cool (in a garage or fruit cellar if you have one) without removing the lid. Chill and leave for the next day, or at least several hours.

Find and remove the three bay leaves.

Mix in the tomato paste and reheat. Stir in the maple syrup (if using it) and serve.