Neapolitan sauce
Neapolitan sauce, also called Napoli sauce or Napoletana sauce, is the collective name given to various basic tomato-based sauces derived from Italian cuisine, often served over or alongside pasta.
In Naples, Neapolitan sauce is simply referred to as la salsa, which literally translates to the sauce. Basil, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, peppercorns, cloves, olives, and mushrooms may be included depending on taste preferences. Some variants include carrots and celery. The basic sauce is vegetarian, although meat such as minced beef or sausage can be added.
Many Italians do not know what Neapolitan sauce is, especially in association with some recipe names such as, for instance, "spaghetti napolitana". The name itself, in fact, is not even spelled in proper Italian.Origin
Historically, the first Italian cookbook to include a tomato based sauce, Lo Scalco alla Moderna, was written by Italian chef Antonio Latini and was published in two volumes in 1692 and 1694. Latini served as the Steward of the First Minister to the Spanish Viceroy of Naples.
