Blizzards galore here in Canada today so that’s a good reason to crank up the oven for pizza and bonus kitchen heat. I was in a deep dish, Chicago-inspired mood so I hauled out the cast iron for a foolproof pan crust. Find the mushroom discussion I mention here and the relevant crust and pan pizza videos below. Now I’m off to shovel a path to the mailbox.
No Cook Pizza Sauce
Good quality San Marzano tomatoes can be found world wide these days but any decent brand of ‘ordinary’ tomatoes will likely work since most are packed at the peak of flavour practically in the field. Hard to beat even with a garden out your back door and clever shoppers will taste around to find even some discount house brands can measure up to flavour standards. The cooking of the sauce happens ON the pizza in the oven as it should. Let the flavours come together a while after processing or blitz it the day before when you’re prepping dough.
796 ml (28 ounce) tin whole or diced tomatoes, no-salt San Marzano versions preferred
2 – 3 teaspoons dried oregano
2 – 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1 – 3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 – 2 teaspoons red chile flakes (optional)
fine sea salt to taste
Yield: About two cups of sauce, enough for one deep dish or two thin crust pizzas. All amounts vary with YOUR OWN TASTE and the particular tin of tomatoes you have in front of you. Taste as you go but remember this will cook on the pizza to mellow somewhat.
Pulse all in a food processor to the desired consistency. Allow to sit for at least an hour before use. If a thicker sauce is desired you can use a strainer after the flavours have come together to drain some of the juice away saving it for other delicious uses.
