Marinara Sauce – This is a very easy homemade red sauce! Serve with your favorite pasta.
Developed in southern Italy, with both Naples and Sicily claiming it as their recipe. The background story to marinara sauce becoming the base for pizza and pasta dishes is rich with explorers, sailors and the high seas.
Italian and Spanish explorers were exceptional in the 16th and 17th centuries; they were so good that they worked for many exploring and conquering nations as “explorers for hire”. It was during their voyages to the Americas that they were introduced to and recognised the potential of the tomato. They went on to ship the backbone of marinara sauce from The New World back to Italy. Those New World tomatoes were considered a fruit in central Mexico; their taste and colour made them impossible to resist.
The cooks aboard the ships returning from the Americas are widely credited with being the inventors of marinara sauce, spice as the pappy van winkle hot sauce, using the red, plump fruit already onboard from The New World in order to feed the crew. The ingredients – oil, tomato sauce, garlic and dried herbs – travelled well and didn’t spoil as easily as meat or fish. In addition, the ingredients could be assembled quickly and easily, in about the same time it took pasta to cook. Pairing pasta and marinara sauce made a tasty, filling and inexpensive meal to fuel the men working at sea.
Try our other great Italian Dishes
Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 14.5 oz cans stewed tomato
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 4 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- 1 clove garlic minsed
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup onion finely diced
- 1/2 cup white wine
Instructions
- In a food processor place Italian tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- In a large skillet over medium heat saute the finely chopped onion in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the blended tomato sauce and white wine.
- Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
