First of all, it’s /Mah-ree-‘nah-rah/, not /Mare-ih-nare-a/. And don’t forget to roll those r’s a bit. Ok, seriously, if you’re a fan of Italian cuisine, you’re probably familiar with Marinara sauce. But if you try to ask anyone what it is, you’re sure to never get the same answer twice. One thing is for sure, if you enjoy cooking Italian dishes, understanding the basics of Marinara is a must.
So what is Marinara? Well, before I explain what it is, I need to give a brief history around Marinara. Marinara is derived from the Italian word marinaro, which means, literally, seafaring. But in everyday use it means sailor. Marinara is the name Neopolitans used to call the sauce they would prepare for returning sailors. Before leaving port, sailors would also stock their ships with tomatoes, olive oil, and fresh herbs in order to prepare this sauce at sea. At sea, as you probably can imagine, sailors didn’t have time to stew large batches of tomato sauce. Nor did they have the storage for it. Instead, they prepared instant sauces, when they needed them, for use on almost anything. And herein lies one of the fundamentals of Marinara sauce – it’s a sauce that is prepared relatively quickly. It is this fundamental preparation that helps define what Marinara is. So why is this fundamental so important? Let’s review the aspects of Marinara to get a better understanding:
- As we stated before, Marinara is an instant sauce – it doesn’t require any pre-processing or any significant transformation during the actual cooking process.
- Because of the relatively quick cooking process, the tomatoes in the sauce don’t have time to fully disintegrate; therefore, Marinara should have a heartier consistency, or be a bit chunky.
- The tomato is the most important flavor component of a Marinara sauce and should be the most pronounced.
And that’s really it. That seems like a pretty loose definition of Marinara, and it probably has you asking, “well, that means I can add almost anything to the tomatoes and still call it Marinara, right?” Technically this is true; and, if you think about it, it helps explain the many different variations on the theme. But if you look at these aspects more closely, you’ll see that there are rules, and that they do help in determining what sauces can be called Marinara and what sauces shouldn’t be classified as Marinara.
Ok, so you want to jazz up your Marinara, but you still want to tell people it’s Marinara, and not run the risk that maybe they have read this post and are ready to undermine your Marinara authority. Well, there are some important rules to follow when considering your customized Marinara:
- Whatever flavor you add should be there to enhance the primary flavor of the tomatoes. If what you add becomes the predominant flavor profile, then it’s no longer Marinara, and most chefs will look for a new name to call their creation. If you’re going for spicy by adding lots of red pepper or cayenne, or if you’re going for a heavy basil flavor, then it’s really no longer Marinara. That’s why we have names like Arrabbiata & Basilico for tomato sauce too.
- When considering adding other vegetables, consider ones that will compliment the consistency of the tomatoes. Onions, garlic and mushrooms make great choices. Keep it simple though, too many veggies and you have a Primavera sauce.
- If you want to add meat, seafood or poultry to your sauce, go ahead and do so, but make sure the ingredients are fresh, especially the seafood, and that they are not already seasoned (i.e. sausage).
Alright, quick question to see if you’re really paying attention – did the second rule above have you scratching your head? If it did that’s good. After all onions and garlic aren’t exactly mild, right? And they do have the potential to overwhelm the tomatoes. Well here’s where preparation comes in. And there are some old world tips to consider to get the best flavor from your Marinara.
The Tomatoes
Not any tomato will do. If San Marzano tomatoes are available, use them. There simply is no substitute. But if they are not available, and cost is an issue (and these days, it is), then California plum tomatoes will work well too. San Marzano’s have more pulp then other tomatoes and the flavors are more pronounced due to the higher sugar levels. Certified San Marzano’s come with an EU D.O.P. designation on the can. In English this translates to protected designation of origin.
I prefer whole tomatoes versus crushed or diced, and I like to use a hand held Cuisinart blender to very coarsely chop up the tomato. Sometimes a potato masher works well and does less chopping, leaving you with some nice chunks. Here’s a tip if you choose the later method. Keep the tomatoes in the opened can and place the masher on top with the handle straight up. Take a piece of plastic wrap and cover the tomatoes. You’ll need to pock a hole in the plastic to fit it down over the handle of the masher. This will keep juice and pulp from spilling and splashing as you crush the tomato.
If you choose an heirloom tomato or California Roma tomato, you may want to add some puree, as these domestic tomatoes will have more fibrous material, and more water. The puree will bring some balance to the sauce and prevent it from being too runny. If you choose to add puree, aim for a 80/20 blend – 80% crushed whole tomatoes, and 20% puree. Blend the tomatoes together in a separate receptacle prior to adding to your sauce pan.
The Olive Oil
Any olive oil will do, but I like to use a high quality extra virgin olive oil because I believe it imparts a better flavor to the sauce. But again if cost is a concern, then regular olive oil or even pomace will work.
Complimentary Seasonings
Traditional Marinara is usually seasoned with any combination of the following: salt, pepper, garlic, basil, oregano, onions. My grandmother’s recipe is really quite simple: olive oil, garlic, salt, San Marzano’s, and a little bit of fresh basil.
Preparation Tips
In old world preparations, Italians often remove vegetables from the oil prior to including the tomatoes. For instance, you may want some garlic and or onion complimenting your Marinara, but you don’t want these in the final sauce. Simply saute these items whole (whole cloves of garlic or onion halves or rings) in the oil for a period of time to season the oil, and then remove prior to adding the tomatoes. If you’re using fresh herbs, add them to the tomatoes prior to sauteing them. If you’re using dried herbs, add them to the oil.
Because Marinara is a fairly quick sauce to make, you don’t need to use high heat when you are sauteing. On the contrary, keep the heat down to avoid scorching or smoking the olive oil. Remember olive oil has a relatively low flash point, and will smoke at lower cooking temperatures than other oils. As a rule of thumb, cooked sauce preparation is always made easier and more effective when cooking on a gas range. If you have electric burners, you may want to lift your sauce pan off the burner occasionally to help regulate your cooking temperature more quickly.
Basic Marinara Recipe
Recipe Yield ≈ 32 oz.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 4 oz.
Garlic – 6 -8 whole cloves
Whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes – 28 – 32 oz. (Alternative: Whole peeled plum or Roma tomatoes – 24 0z., and tomato puree 6 oz.)
Dried Oregano – 1 tsp
Fresh Basil – 3 – 4 leaves coarsely chopped
Salt – 1 tsp, or 2 – 3 pinches
Preparation:
- Coarsely chop the whole tomatoes
- If you’re using the alternative tomato blend, combine the puree with the chopped or crushed whole tomatoes
- Using a 12 inch skillet, or 4 quart sauce pan, brown off the garlic cloves in the 4 ounces of olive oil under low to medium heat – take your time in browning the cloves to better infuse the oil with this flavor, and to ensure the oil does not get too hot
- Add your tomatoes; (CAUTION: If you have allowed the oil to get too hot, the liquid in the tomatoes will flash or vaporize instantly, and this flashing liquid has the potential to burn your skin – if the oil is too hot, take it off the heat for about a minute or 2 and add the tomatoes while the skillet is off of the heat)
- Add the remaining seasonings, and allow the sauce to simmer under moderate heat for about 10 minutes – the longer you simmer the tighter the sauce will get (Note: if you’re using the sauce as a topper or dip for fried mozzarella for instance, let the sauce simmer a few minutes longer; but, if you’re using the sauce for pasta, then it’s good to keep a little liquid in the sauce)
- Allow the sauce to temper a bit, so let it cool after it has finished cooking
Wine Pairing:
For Marinara sauce, I’d recommend a lighter bodied red wine with good acid. Sangiovese-based reds like Chianti Classico and Rosso Di Montalcino make the perfect pairing with red sauce. I also really like Montepulciano D’Abruzzo’s with red sauce dishes, and the quality of these wines has been improving significantly of late. Avoid Sangiovese-based wines that are blended with traditional Bordeaux varietals (i.e. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot) as these wines are often fuller in body and contain higher levels of tannins that don’t always work well with red sauces. The exception to this is if the wine has been appropriately aged. Aging mellows these wines and their tannic acids, making them more food friendly. Overall though, you really can’t go wrong with any Tuscan red when it comes to pairing with red sauce dishes. They have centuries of experience in making their wines the perfect matches for Italian cuisine.