The difference between an adequate dish of pasta and a fantastic pasta entrée comes down to the sauce. While there may be hundreds of pasta choices available, authentic Italian cuisine carefully pairs each type with the perfect sauce. Thin, delicate strands of pasta like spaghetti or angel hair call for a light butter or olive oil-based sauce. Cream-based or cheesy sauces pair well with sturdier shapes, such as penne and fettuccine. Chunky tomato or meat sauces are perfect for bulky tubes of pasta like rigatoni and cannelloni.
Regionally, the cold temperatures and mountainous terrain of northern Italy demand hearty sauces that involve meat. Tomatoes, eggplants, olives, and peppers grow abundantly in the warmer climate of southern Italy, where seafood is a popular pasta sauce ingredient thanks to the area’s vast coastline.
Partenope Ristorante in Dallas, TX, offers warm hospitality and exquisite dishes prepared fresh daily in the Neapolitan style. These are some of the most common types of Italian pasta sauces.
Marinara
One of the most popular pasta sauces available, marinara, is the red sauce commonly tasted in pizza and spaghetti. Originating in Naples, it is a thick, watery sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, Italian herbs, and olive oil. The name comes from the word “marinaio” which means mariner, or sailor, in Italian. The sauce was named after sailors because it doesn’t spoil easily and is a primary food item on voyages.
Scarpariello Di Mare at Partenope is a spicy dish of marinara, cherry tomato, Calabrian chile, shrimp, garlic, and spaghetti that is sure to get your taste buds tingling.
Carbonara
The word carbonara means bacon and eggs, or rather guanciale and eggs, in Italian. Carbonara sauce is made by blending guanciale and eggs with pecorino and Parmesan cheeses, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Rather than adding cream to this traditional sauce, consistent beating and mixing of all the ingredients in a heated pan give it its creaminess.
Partenope’s Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, made with egg yolk, is as authentic as it gets.
Bolognese
Invented in the 18th century in the city of Bologna, Bolognese sauce is a tomato-meat sauce made from either beef or pork along with tomato purée, dry white wine, , cream or milk, and salt & pepper. This rich and hearty pasta sauce is a traditional Italian delight that is also one of the most famous.
Our Fettuccini Alla Bolognese is a combination of fresh pasta mixed with our own Bolognese sauce and topped with shaved Parmesan.
Pesto
Pesto sauce doesn’t use tomatoes or meat and doesn’t even need to be cooked. Originating in the city of Genoa, it is also referred to as pesto alla Genovese. It takes its name from the Italian word pestare, which means to crush. Made from crushed basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and hard Italian cheese, few things are as delightful as freshly made pesto sauce.
At Partenope, Fusilli Al Pesto is a vegetarian dish that includes pesto, Parmesan cream, cherry tomato, and pistachio.
Taste Italy for Yourself!
To enjoy all of these and more Italian pasta sauces, visit Partenope Ristorante today. Serving southern Italian dishes and true Neapolitan pizza, ours is the original name of Naples, Italy. Ranking #16 in the prestigious 50 Top Pizza USA listing and one of D Magazine’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023, we provide an unmatched taste of Old World Italy.
Contact us today to reserve a table in Downtown Dallas or to learn more about booking a spot in one of our pizza-making classes. You will be transported by our cozy, traditional Italian environment.
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