The next component for you to consider is your sauce. Not as
daunting
as the crust but it can still be a hurdle for some. The good news is
that this can be as easy or as complicated as you want to make it.
There are a number of options available to you but most of all, never
feel like there is dishonor in the use of pre-made sauces. Ultimately,
if that's what you want, then go for it. All that matters is what
tastes good to you.
Fresh tomatoes can certainly be used to make great pizza sauce. I find
the problem, however, is that unless it is peak growing season or you
are growing the tomatoes yourself and canning them, the quality is
going to be inconsistent. Also, the higher water content often requires
you to simmer for longer periods of time in order to thicken the sauce.
This extended exposure to heat can diminish the fresh flavor of the
tomatoes. These are the reasons why I prefer using canned tomatoes in
my sauce.
Canned tomatoes come in varying forms, whole, crushed, diced and so
forth. These tomatoes are canned at the peak of freshness so you can be
more confident in the consistency. Also, there is a wide selection of
high quality clean products available to you that taste great. In
making pizza sauce, crushed or diced tomatoes will lessen your
workload. If you purchase whole tomatoes, keep a few things in mind. In
most cases, the tomatoes are packed in tomato juice or puree. You will
need to crush them either by hand or in a blender. Canned peeled
tomatoes will produce a smoother sauce while un-peeled tomatoes will be
stronger as much of the tomato's flavor is found right under the skin.
In addition to canned tomatoes, you also have concentrated tomato
products available to you. These can work nicely as a base for your
sauce. Mature tomatoes are crushed; removing the skins and seeds. The
juice is reduced to a highly concentrated state and canned as purees or
tomato paste. These products are very strong and should be used in
small quantities. Because of the long heating process, the flavor of
the tomato has been dramatically changed and if you use too much, this
is all you will taste.
There is a certain amount of disagreement as to whether or not tomatoes
should be heated before using on the pizza. The argument against is
that since the tomatoes are heated before canning as well as in the
oven, another heating on the stove top would be redundant. Also, the
more often the tomatoes are heated, the more of the fresh flavor is
lost.
My personal opinion is that if you are using dried herbs, the sauce
benefits from a long low simmer. To satisfy both of these concerns, I
use the following for my pizza sauce:
- 1 14 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Start with the tomato sauce. Add the salt, sugar, oregano and pepper
and simmer the sauce on a low heat, stirring occasionally. Let the
sauce simmer for about an hour. Then, combine the sauce with the canned
tomatoes. If you would like a smoother texture to the sauce, puree the
tomatoes beforehand. The advantage of this method is that you get the
enhanced flavor from a long simmer while at the same time preserving
the freshness of the tomatoes.
I would encourage you to take the time to find a combination of herbs
and spices that you like. Experiment and see what you come up with. My
advice would be to start simple. I think that if you add too many
spices you are left with a generic herb flavor and it is difficult to
pick anything else. I appreciate simplicity in flavor. But ultimately,
you need to find what is best for you. Make it simple, make it crazy,
just make it your own.
