This type of tomato based sauce probably orignated in southern Italy either Naples or Sicily. A hotspot for sea trade. Tomato sauce is first referenced in the Italian cookbook Lo Scalco alla Moderna (The Modern Steward), written by Italian chef Antonio Latini in 1692. The word “Marinara” means sailor style. This sauce was easy to make with only 3-4 ingredients and wouldnt spoil easily, hence became popular with sailors.
This sauce can be used as a base for a number of Italian dishes and sauces. Ragout, Pizza, Arrabiata, Bolognese and Lasagne. The tomatoes used for this sauce should be red and plump. Traditionaly, they use San Marzano or Roma Tomatoes.
Given below is a basic recipe.
Italian marinara sauce
Italian style tomato sauce used as a base in pizzas, pasta and number of Italian dishes.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg tomatoes peeled, deeseded, core removed
- 100 gram onion fine chopped
- 50 gram celery chopped
- 4 clove garlic peeled
- 10 gram leek fine chopped
- 20 ml olive oil
- 1 and 1/2 tsp spg see blog post
- 1/2 tsp oragano dry
- 1/2 tsp thyme dry
- 2 tsp basil dry
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 fresh basil leaf
Instructions
- Saute the onion, garlic, cellery, leek in olive oil on high heat untill slightly golden.
- Slightly mash the tomatoes along with the juice and add it to the pan.
- Add the dry herbs and Spg.
- Add water if reuired.
- Simmer for 40 minutes.
- When the sauce is thick, chucky and not runy., its ready.
- Add sugar and salt and check.
- Turn the gass off and add 2 basil leaves and mix.