Marinara simply means "sailor style." The Spanish introduced tomatoes in Europe in the 16th century and Naples, being under Spanish rule, made tomatoes popular, and that's where marinara sauce originated.
 
The difference between marinara sauce and tomato sauce is this: Marinara is a quick sauce, seasoned only with garlic, pepper and, if you like, basil or oregano. The pieces of tomato are left chunky and the texture of the finished sauce is fairly loose. Tomato sauce, on the other hand, is a more complex affair, starting with puréed tomatoes and seasoned with onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf, and is left to simmer until thickened and rich in flavor.
 
Make this sauce with fresh tomatoes only when the juiciest, most flavorful ripe tomatoes are available (increase the amount of olive oil a little if you make the sauce with fresh tomatoes). Otherwise, canned plum tomatoes make a delicious marinara sauce.
 
Ingredients
- makes about 1 quart, enough to dress six servings of pasta -
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled
One 35-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Manzano), seeded and lightly crushed, with their liquid
Salt
Pepper
10 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Procedure
1. Heat the oil in a 2- to 3-quart nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Whack the garlic with the flat side of a knife, add it to the oil, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
2. Carefully slide tomatoes and their liquid into the oil. Bring to a boil, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Lower the heat so sauce is at a lively simmer and cook, breaking up tomatoes with a whisk or spoon, until the sauce is chunky and thick, about 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the basil about 5 minutes before the sauce is finished. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
 
If you have a question about our marinara recipe or if you want to share your own recipe, please email Peppino at Questions for Peppino

 

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