Best Italian 'alla marinara' Tomato Sauce
'Alla Marinara' or sailor's style tomato sauce is so called as it was made for returning sailors by their wives or possibly was made by Neopolitan cooks onboard Spanish ships returning from the Americas in the 16C. Or it was it just made by sailors with some fresh ingredients they had with them? The first Italian recipe book 'Lo Scalco alla Moderna (The Modern Steward)' to include a tomato sauce (Pomadoro, alla Spagnuola - Spanish style) was in 1692/4 and was written by Antoni Latini, who was credited for the first recipe for ice cream.
Marinara is a simple sauce with the flavour of tomatoes, herbs and garlic cooked quickly at a higher heat than a Sugo tomato sauce version that is simmered for a while and may have more ingredients.
Traditionally ingredients in the Marinara tomato sauce are just garlic, herbs and tomatoes. Other variations include some chilli, olives or capers. Either way this cucina povera makes a great primo piatto but it needs to be done correctly. It must have really good extra virgin olive oil, the best tomatoes; preferably San Marzano, onions can be in this dish or garlic but not both and when you fry the garlic you must not burn it. It wouldn't be served with cheese.
source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Latini
I decided to write this post as I we have been making an Italian tomato sauce forever but without thought to detail. And it's the detail that makes this sauce so special, make it quickly, keep the flavours, fry garlic, add tomatoes, add herbs, simmer for a couple of minutes, remove herbs, season, serve.
Recently I have been using Aldi/Lidl's tinned Pomodorini tomatoes for all sauces as they are so flavourful. Then I found these Heinz ones in either B&M or Hame Bargains and they are even better, if you see them before I do, buy them all.
