Pizza Sauce

Jan 2

I’m not really sure this counts as a recipe. It’s too easy! But I get so many compliments and questions on my sauce that it needs to be shared. While there are some pizza styles and specialty pizzas that call for a cooked sauce, simply blending your favorite whole peeled canned tomatoes with some salt is really all you need. But first, a few notes…

The way you blend the tomatoes matters. Tomatoes contain a lot of water which can make for a wet and sloppy pizza. The more you blend, the more water you will get. So for a Neapolitan pizza for example, either use your hands or one of those mashed potato tools to squeeze and crush each of the whole tomatoes. This will leave some pulp in tact which minimizes water - a crucial point in Neapolitan pizza since it is only the oven for 60-90 seconds. Not enough time for water to evaporate. For a Sicilian style pizza on the other hand, I prefer a smooth sauce with no pulp. A hand blender is perfectly OK to use here as this style pizza is typically in the oven for over 10 minutes which is more than enough time for excess water to bake off. Still, don’t over-blend. Get it smooth and stop.

Also, we’re not going for a sweet sauce here. Look for a whole peeled tomato with good tang, brightness, not a lot of water but not pasty either. Pick the 4 or 5 appealing ones at your grocery store, add the salt, and go for it. A taste test!