Creating A Delicious Pizza Sauce
Therefore, you want to make a homemade pizza sauce, but you are not quite sure where to start. Do you know what you want to put in it? Should you just give up now and get a jar? Should you make up your own? What will work best for your pizza?
While plenty of people will just tell you to go get a jar of spaghetti sauce from the store, there are just as many people who will disagree with you. You will hear everything from which type of tomato is best to discussions about whether you should cook it or not. In fact, some delicious pizzas are made that only have a light drizzle of olive oil on top before you add your toppings.
The majority of pizza lovers think of tomatoes when they think of pizza sauce. If you can get them, use fresh vine-ripened tomatoes from your garden or a local farm, but they are a seasonal item at best. Next choice would be canned plum tomatoes, which are also called Italian tomatoes. Do not pick up “Italian-style” tomatoes instead… they are not the same. Even in cans, it is best to use whole tomatoes for sauce making. If you like it smooth, rinse the seeds out and then put them in blender or food processor.
Good pizza sauce is thick so it will not make your crust soggy. Use your favorite herbs to season it with. Oregano, basil and thyme all work well with tomatoes. At this point, you could use it as an uncooked style and spread it on your pizza. Many people prefer this method because it cooks with the pizza. If you prefer to cook your sauce on the stove, do not put the herbs in until later.
If you like it cooked, you can put it on the stove now. Be careful what kind of pot you use; tomatoes are acidic and will react with some types of cookware like iron or aluminum. Cooking is a good way to thicken sauce that is too thin, but cooking will also alter the flavor of the sauce. Olive oil can be added for flavor if you have some good extra virgin on hand.
Before you put any tomatoes in your pot, cook up some onions and garlic to help season your pizza sauce recipe. As they cook, these ingredients soften and mellow, creating a nice depth of flavor. Saut them in butter or olive oil for added taste. Now add the tomatoes and stir well.
Mix in some salt and pepper and let it simmer awhile. Taste it again before you use it in case you need more salt. Some prefer to add a little sugar to tame the acidity of the tomatoes a bit. Sugar naturally neutralizes the acidity, making it easier on your tongue. This is also great for diners who like a sweeter sauce, though you can use honey as well as sugar.
If you did not already add your herbs, you can add them to the pot now. Besides the common herbs mentioned earlier, you can use parsley, fennel seeds, cayenne pepper, or any other flavor you like. Use the herbs to taste only. You can also flavor your sauce with wine, balsamic vinegar or beef stock to get more robust flavors.
Many people would list Italian pizza as one of their favorite dishes and it is clear to see why a crispy pizza crust topped with a delicious pizza sauce and a selection of carefully chosen toppings hit the spot! As well at Italian pizza recipes at our site, you can find many others too.
