Marinara Sauce

Pasta lovers will agree that one of the key aspect to making good pasta is to have a good sauce. With the advancement of technology, not many people make theirs from scratch anymore. How many of us are guilty of warming a jar of pre-made pasta sauce together with some grounded meat, canned mushrooms, perhaps some bell peppers, poured it over cooked pasta and claimed it as your own? I know I did when I first started cooking during my childhood.

No doubt it is quick to prepare, hassle free and almost like an instant hot meal. It is, however, still a "canned" sauce; most of them choked full of sodium and sugar (even when it says "100% natural", it could be "natural" flavourings.). There are a couple of jarred sauces that has lower sodium and sugar level, but they cost way higher than the already premium prices.

[Quoted from Wikipedia]

Marinara (mariner's) sauce is a southern Italian tomato sauce usually made with 

tomatoes, garlic, herbs, onions and sometimes seafood.

Although in Singapore, Marinara is more commonly associated with seafood and it is more likely that patrons would expect seafood in their pasta. I think this is changing as more diners becomes "food savvy", but outside of Asia, it commonly refers to just a tomato based pasta. I supposed the confusion is ok, as long as it is common understanding amongst the locals. Our culture is rojak (mixed up) enough anyway. However, don't expect to see seafood in your spaghetti alla marinara when you visit Italy or the server might flip the whole plate in your face. 

It is really simple to make Marinara sauce at home. Not only is it cost effective, it is fresh and healthier. You can control its saltiness, sweetness and tanginess. Or spice it up a little, the way Singaporean likes it. You can even make a large batch when you have the time and only need to warm it up when needed. Below is a basic Marinara recipe, when using, feel free to add grounded meat, seafood, mushrooms, eggplants or anything you fancy. 

It's wrong, and will probably make an Italian nonna faint but I like mine chunky style. If you want a smooth sauce, finely minced the onion or have the final mixture pushed through a sieve.

Basic Marinara Sauce (serves 2)

    3     Tomatoes, peeled and diced

    6     Cloves of Garlic, finely minced

 1/2     Yellow onion, diced

 60g    Stock, beef or any preferred

1 tsp    Olive Oil

    1     Bay Leaf

Salt, Sugar and Pepper to taste

Optional: a dash of the following herbs

• Basil
• Rosemary
• Oregano
• Thyme

If you don't the herbs, 1.5 tsp of either mixed herbs or italian herbs will be equivalent. The classic pairing of tomatoes and basil works really well for me, so I'll add an extra dash there.

1. Heat olive oil over Medium heat. Sauté the finely minced garlic and diced onions till fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes.

2. When the tomatoes starts to break down and release its juices, add your preferred stock and bay leaf.

3. Turn down to LOW heat when mixture starts to bubble. Remove Bay Leaf and season with salt, sugar and black pepper to taste. Leave to simmer for about 20-30 mins. Keep a good eye on it, making sure it does not burn.

4. Add sauce to desired ingredients or serve immediately over cooked pasta! Viola~ 

If you would like to store the remaining sauce, wait for the mixture to cool completely and store in a sterile container. It will keep for 5-7 days in the refrigerator. Or pack them individually, freeze them solid and they will keep up to 6 months in the freezer! Thaw at least 4 hours before use, or just throw them in the chiller compartment the night before use. 

Update (17th July 2015)
Macro Pierre White mentioned during a Masterclass he held for Masterchef Australia 2015 that a Marinara made using only fresh tomatoes will turn up orangey instead of red. I never really noticed that and it never bothered me, but I do get what he said "everyone expects a red sauce"! His solution to this kink is to add passata (canned tomato puree) to the sauce and gives it the colour everyone is familiar with. He also used cherry tomatoes in place of normal tomatoes for its intense flavour and higher content of pectin. 

!

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