PIZZA/ PASTA SAUCE

PIZZA/ PASTA SAUCE

Pizza sauce is tomato based sauce prepared by blenching tomatoes and spiced with herbs and garlic. Its a quick, easy, all-purpose red sauce. I feel homemade sauces are always better and in terms of taste and flavor, beat any store-bought sauce hands down.

This pizza sauce works well for 4 to 5 medium-sized pizzas. the recipe can easily be doubled. Since the method and recipe is easy, you can adjust the quantity of herbs as per your choice. Apart from pizza, the sauce also works well with pasta. just toss the cooked pasta & steamed/sauted veggies in the sauce. Top with some cheese and bake or grill the pasta till the cheese melts.

You can make the pizza sauce a bit chunky or smooth. I have pureed the tomatoes with some bits for a chunkier version. You can also chop the tomatoes finely. For a smooth version, puree the tomatoes very well.

Ingredients:

6 ripped red tomatoes
2 tsp oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 small dried red chilli
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp basil leaves, finely chopped
3/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste

1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp tomato sauce

Recipe:

1. Firstly, slit x on bottom of tomatoes.
2. Add tomatoes (slitted at bottom) along with dried red chilli into boiling water and blanch.
3. Cover the pan and boil for 3-4 minutes or till the skin starts to leave from tomatoes.
4. Further, peel the skin of tomatoes once they cooled completely.
5. Then take 4 peeled tomatoes and the red chilli and blend to smooth purees.
6. Chop other 2 tomatoes discarding the seeds.
7. Transfer to the plate and keep aside.
8. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped garlic. Sauté till they turn slightly golden brown.
9. Add chopped onions and sauté till they change colour. Then add chopped - deseeded tomatoes and cook completely.
10. Mash in between a little so that it turns mushy.
11. Also add prepared tomato puree (from 4 blanched tomatoes).
12. Mix well and add basil, chilli powder, oregano, chilli flakes and salt. Mix well and get the sauce to a boil.
13. Cover and simmer the sauce for atleast 5 minutes or till the sauce turns thick.
14. Then add tomato sauce and finally, mix well.
15. Pizza sauce is ready.

**You can even use the same pizza sauce recipe in pasta, spaghetti and lasagna.

Enjoy and keep showering your love.