the world of marinara sauce

what is a marinara sauce?

Marinara (English: "sailor") sauce is a tomato sauce usually made with tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions. Variations include capers, olives, spices, and a dash of wine. Widely used in Italian-American cuisine, it is known as alla marinara in Italy, where it is typically made with tomatoes, basil, olive oil, garlic and oregano, but also sometimes olives, capers, and salted anchovies. It is used for spaghetti and vermicelli, but also with meat or fish.

The terms should not be confused with spaghetti marinara, a popular dish in Australia, New Zealand, Spain, and South Africa, in which a tomato-based sauce is mixed with fresh seafood. In Italy, a pasta sauce including seafood is more commonly called alla pescatora.

a brief history of marinara sauce

Several folk theories exist as to the origin of this sauce. One version states that cooks aboard Neapolitan ships returning from the Americas invented marinara sauce in the mid-16th century after Spaniards introduced the tomato to Europe. Another theory states this was a sauce prepared by the wives of Neapolitan sailors upon their return from the sea.

Historically, however, the first Italian cookbook to include tomato sauce, Lo Scalco alla Moderna ('The Modern Steward'), was written by Italian chef Antonio Latini and was published in two volumes in 1692 and 1694. Latini served as the Steward of the First Minister to the Spanish Viceroy of Naples. This early tomato sauce was more like a modern tomato salsa.

The exact location of Marinara Sauce’s creation seems to be lost to time, but it was likely first developed in the southern region of Italy, in either Naples or Sicily, after tomatoes first appeared in Europe via explorers from the New World in the 16th century. This comes well after the first forms of pasta arrived, which arrived on Italian shores with Arab traders in the 12 century.

sailor-style sauce

As for how a particular preparation of tomato sauce came to be known as “marinara,” one needs to look toward the sea. “Marinara” translates to “seafaring”—or colloquially to “sailor style” or “mariner style.” It was given the name marinara not because it was once a seafood-style sauce, but because it was the preferred meal of Italy’s merchants during long expeditions at sea.

ingredients for a great sauce

The main ingredients of traditional marinara sauce are deliciously straightforward. There’s, of course, San Marzano tomatoes, along with garlic, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. Onion frequently makes its way into variations of the sauce, as does oregano and other herbs, fresh black pepper, and sometimes red pepper flakes.

All of these fresh ingredients are brought together and cooked vigorously and quickly in order to retain the zestiness and brightness of the tomatoes. The result is a bright red sauce that’s thinner than a sauce that simmers all day. It’s perfect for when you need a quick, homemade sauce on a weekday night or when unexpected guests show up on a Sunday afternoon.

If you prefer a deeper flavor, there are simple ingredients you can drop in to give marinara more depth. A dollop of tomato paste can do the trick, as can some red wine, the rind from a block of parmigiano reggiano or cuts of beef or pork. However, adding any of these ingredients will increase the cooking time of your sauce.

videos on marinara sauce

The Surprising History of Tomato Sauce

This video is about The birth and growth in popularity of tomato sauce.

How Tomato Sauce Is Made In Italy | Regional Eats | Food Insider

Every summer, Isabella, her mother, Dina, and her daughter, Federica, honor the family tradition and make tomato sauce in their garden. The process is a laborious one that takes several hours, from handpicking each tomato to adding basil leaves into jars one by one. This year, the family has turned more than 200 kilos of tomatoes into sauce.

History Of The Tomato - How The Tomato Took Over The World

I know that we've all enjoyed a good pasta or lasagna with tomatoes, even a Spanish style tomato soup, but did you know the tomato is not original to those regions? In this video, I'll tell you the origin of the tomato and how it traveled the world to get where it currently is.

in conclusion

Other than a rich coating of butter and olive oil, marinara is probably the simplest of all the classically Italian and Italian-American pasta sauces. It consists of only a handful of ingredients—depending on whose kitchen you’re in—and can be finished on the stovetop in about as much time as it takes to boil a pot of water and cook a box of dry pasta.

Along with its bright taste, it’s this simplicity and ease of preparation that makes it so beloved in kitchens all over the world. Marinara sauce can be served with just about any type of pasta and also makes an incredibly pure and zesty dip for a number of fried goodies. It’s the sauce topping of choice for chicken parmigiana and in a pinch, it can even step in as a quick pizza sauce or as a flavor enhancer for rice dishes, veggie creations, and more.

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