How to Make the Perfect Pizza Sauce at Home

Creating the ideal pizza sauce is the beginning of a delicious pizza journey. Whether you're an Italian culinary expert or a pizza enthusiast, the right sauce can set your pizza apart. In this guide, we will walk you through different methods to craft your perfect pizza sauce, all while staying true to the flavors that make this dish incredible.

Using Freshly Crushed Tomatoes

The traditional Italian method of making pizza sauce involves hand-crushing blanched and peeled tomatoes. This process gives you full control over the thickness and consistency of your sauce. Blanched tomatoes are simply boiled for a short time to loosen the skin, then quickly plunged into cold water to stop the cooking process. Once cool, the skins can be easily removed, leaving you with smooth, de-skinned tomatoes.

To prepare the sauce, add these tomatoes to a sieve and gently crush them until you achieve a semi-thick consistency. This method ensures that your sauce is rich in flavor and texture, without the need for further cooking if it's meant for a pizza oven. After crushing, spread the sauce thinly over the pizza crust and let it cook with the pizza. This technique allows the heat from the oven to enhance the flavors in the sauce, making it an integral part of your pizza's flavor profile.

To enhance the taste of your sauce, sprinkle some fresh herbs, such as basil or parsley, right after the pizza comes out of the oven. A drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil can also add a delightful finishing touch. For a more savory taste, consider adding some pancetta or other fatty meats, which will caramelize during the cooking process, enhancing the overall flavor of the sauce.

Alternative Methods for Pizza Sauce

For those who want a quicker or more convenience approach, there are several ready-made options available. If you have access to San Marzano tomatoes, they are highly recommended due to their sweetness and high content of sugar. Place a can of these tomatoes, along with a pinch of kosher salt and a teaspoon of dried basil, into a food processor. Puree for about thirty seconds to get a fresh and authentic flavor. If you're short on San Marzano tomatoes, RAO's marinara sauce is a fantastic substitute. It provides a balanced and flavorful base whenever you don't have the time to make your own from scratch.

Slow Cooking for Even Richer Flavor

For a more robust and deeply flavored sauce, try using a crock pot. Place a can of tomato paste, a large can of tomato sauce, and a bit of water (about 3/4 cup) into the crock pot. Season to taste, as you never need to measure for this method. Cook the mixture for three hours on medium heat, then let it cool for two hours. Spoon the mixture into jars and refrigerate. If you want to allow the flavors to meld, rest the sauce in the fridge for about a week. This method results in a very thick sauce that you can see through the pasta, making it perfect for use on a pizza crust.

When using this sauce for spaghetti, simply add more water to the sauce to adjust its thickness, as you prefer a more traditional Italian sauce consistency. This technique allows you to have a versatile sauce that can be used in a variety of dishes without losing its character. The slow-cooking process helps to develop a deeper flavor, making each bite of pizza you prepare truly unforgettable.

In conclusion, whether you choose to make your pizza sauce from scratch using fresh tomatoes, rely on a store-bought alternative, or use a slow-cooked method, the key is to keep the flavor of the tomatoes at the forefront. By following these guidelines, you can create a sauce that complements the other ingredients perfectly, taking your pizza making skills to the next level.