| Pizzas
don’t need to have tomato sauce – many people adore
white pizzas, and as long as you have something to bind the
ingredients to the dough, such as cheese, pesto, or some other
sauce of your choosing, the pizza should hold together just fine.
Personally, though, I’m still a big fan of the classic
tomato-sauced pizza. If you’re pressed for time or just feeling
lazy, of course, you can easily use jarred spaghetti sauce – and
I have plenty of friends who do so with fine results – but I’m
pretty picky about how my pizza sauce is flavored, which is why I
like to make my sauce from scratch. Basically, I’m of the
opinion that a pizza sauce should be very simple, the flavors pure
and straightforward: I like garlic, I like basil, and that’s
about it for the herbs and spices. Naturally, you should feel free
to adjust the flavorings to suit your own tastes – add a dash of
oregano, substitute onions for the garlic, sprinkle some crushed
red pepper flakes.
After you’ve rolled out the
pizza, brush the top lightly with olive oil. You can do this with
your fingers or with a pastry brush if you’re feeling dainty. If
you’re using tomato sauce, slather on a layer using a spoon.
Sprinkle on some cheese, then add your toppings, and finish with
another sprinkle of cheese. |
Basic
Pizza Sauce
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-oz canned tomatoes, drained, but not too well
(preferably good Italian plum/Roma tomatoes, but you can use
whatever you have; naturally, you can use fresh tomatoes as
well – just make sure to skin and de-seed them)
1-2 Tbsp. tomato paste (this may be cheating a bit, but it
thickens up the sauce quickly so you don’t have to cook
down the tomatoes for quite as long)
1 generous handful of fresh basil leaves
1 hearty splash of red wine (about 2 Tbsp.)
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; sauté
the minced garlic for 2-3 minutes, until soft and
translucent. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine and
basil and cook until the tomatoes soften, break down, and
get good and saucy. You’ll want to stir the sauce from
time to time, squashing the tomatoes with your spoon as they
cook to help them along a bit. Cook for 20 minutes or so; if
the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce still looks
runny, add another tablespoon of tomato sauce. Season to
taste with salt and pepper.
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