Marinara Sauce

Prep time 5 min cook time 15 min
This is a super quick and easy marinara sauce but before we start lets get one thing straight about the sauce.

You will find a number of recipes for Marinara sauce on the internet many by “celebrity chefs” that call for a lengthy list of ingredients gently simmered for a long time. That is absolutely not so.

A marinara sauce is quick sauce made from very few ingredients. It is originally an Italian sauce made by sailors (Marinaio in Italian) while at sea and if you have ever cooked below deck in a small boat as I have on many occasions during my sailing days in the English channel and Sydney harbor, you will know that you do not have the space for many ingredients or the time (or portable gas for that matter) to simmer a sauce for hours.

Having got that of my chest here is the recipe.

What you need (for two).

1 can crushed tomatoes
2/3 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
2 Tbsp fresh chopped oregano (or 1 Tbsp of dried will do)
2 Tbsp  fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped fine
A couple of bay leaves
1 Tsp sugar ( to cut the acidity of the tomato)
Coarse salt and black pepper (to taste)

What to do

1. Heat deep skillet over medium-low to medium heat.
2. Add oil and garlic and let garlic begin to sizzle in oil (stir frequently to keep garlic from browning and turning bitter).
3. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato purée, stir in oregano, bay leaves and sugar and let sauce come to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and let sauce simmer 15 minutes or until ready to serve.

Variation and uses
This sauce is truly god’s gift to rushed cooks. Not only is it great on pasta but try it as a side dish on zucchini or fresh string beans or as a main course with prawns or a firm fish cooked in the sauce after it is made. 

You might also enjoy...