It has been claimed the pizza marinara was introduced around the year 1735 (in 1734 according to European Commission regulation 97/2010), and was prepared using olive oil, cherry tomatoes, basil, oregano, and garlic at that time,[6][7] and that historically it was known to be ordered commonly by poor sailors, and made on their ships due to it being made from easily preservable ingredients.[8][9][10] The historical account of the pizza marinara's creation and its association with sailors rests predominantly on oral and traditional retellings rather than documented, empirical evidence.
Francesco de Bourcard, writing in his 1866 book Usi e costumi di Napoli ('Customs and Traditions of Naples'), Vol. II (p. 124), seemed to know the recipe with a different name, and to consider the addition of tomatoes an extra for both marinara and Margherita:
Le pizze più ordinarie, dette coll'aglio e l'olio, han per condimento l'olio, e sopra vi si sparge, oltre il sale, l'origano e spicchi d'aglio trinciati minutamente. Altre sono coperte di formaggio grattugiato e condite collo strutto, e allora vi si pone disopra qualche foglia di basilico. Alle prime spesso si aggiunge del pesce minuto; alle seconde delle sottili fette di mozzarella. Talora si fa uso di prosciutto affettato, di pomidoro, di arselle, ecc. Talora ripiegando la pasta su se stessa se ne forma quel che chiamasi calzone.
The most ordinary pizzas, called "with garlic and oil", are seasoned with oil, and on top a sprinkling of, besides salt, finely minced oregano and garlic cloves. Others are covered with grated cheese and seasoned with lard, and then a few leaves of basil are laid on top. To the first ones often small fish are added; to the latter thin slices of mozzarella. Sometimes they use sliced prosciutto, tomatoes, wedge clams, etc. Sometimes, folding the dough on itself, they form what they call calzone.
Recipe
According to the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana:[1]
Using a spoon place the pressed, peeled tomatoes in to the centre of the pizza base, then using a spiralling motion, cover the entire surface of the base with the sauce excluding the crust (the addition or substitution of peeled tomatoes with fresh tomatoes is allowed).
Remove any hard or dry sections of the clove of garlic and slice finely. Scatter the slices using the same circular motion over the tomato.
Scatter a pinch of oregano in an orderly manner over the surface.
Using a traditional copper oil canister or inert food storage with spiralling motion, starting from the centre and moving out, pour extra virgin olive oil over the pizza.
In pizzerias in the area of Rome, the recipe is commonly modified with the addition of salted anchovies.
