Marinara sauce facts for kids
A plate of ravioli alla marinara
|
|
| Course | Main course |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Serving temperature | Hot over pasta or on a pizza |
| Main ingredients | Tomatoes, garlic, onions, basil, oregano |
| Variations | Olives, capers |
Marinara sauce is a tasty tomato sauce often made with tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions. The word "marinara" means "sailor" in Italian. Sometimes, other ingredients like capers, olives, spices, or a little bit of wine are added.
This sauce is very popular in Italian-American cuisine. In Italy, it's called alla marinara and usually contains tomatoes, basil, and oregano. Sometimes, olives, capers, and even salted anchovies are included. Marinara sauce is often served with spaghetti and vermicelli, but it also goes well with meat or fish dishes.
It's important not to confuse marinara sauce with "spaghetti marinara." "Spaghetti marinara" is a popular dish in places like Australia, New Zealand, Spain, and South Africa. It's a tomato-based sauce mixed with fresh seafood. In Italy, a pasta sauce with seafood is more commonly known as alla pescatora.
Where Did Marinara Sauce Come From?
There are a few interesting ideas about how marinara sauce first started. One story says that cooks on ships from Naples, Italy, created the sauce in the mid-16th century. This was after Spaniards brought tomatoes to Europe from the Americas.
Another idea suggests that the wives of Neapolitan sailors made this sauce for their husbands when they returned home from long trips at sea.
However, the first Italian cookbook that included a tomato sauce was called Lo Scalco alla Moderna. It was written by an Italian chef named Antonio Latini and published in 1692 and 1694. Latini worked for the Spanish Viceroy of Naples. This early tomato sauce was actually more like a modern tomato salsa.
In some parts of Central Italy, a sauce similar to Italian-American marinara sauce is known as sugo finto. This name literally means "fake (meatless) sauce."
See also
In Spanish: Salsa marinara para niños
