Made pizza with the kids the other day, from Deborah Madison's
Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone cookbook. The pizza dough was the usual
- I used a 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour to make it slightly healthier.
Not worth typing up, your crust is probably just as good.

Her homemade pizza sauce seemed different from others; I adapted
slightly. She says just sweat some garlic (2 or 3 smashed cloves) in
olive oil until soft, then add a 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes in
sauce and simmer for about 30 minutes until watery part evaporates. The
usual herbs and seasonings - oregano, thyme, salt & pepper. I added a
heaping spoonful of honey. Pizza parlor sauce is always flavored with a
sweetener.

I loved the flavor and consistency of this sauce - and that it was so
easy to make. Worked better than using whole or sliced tomatoes in
watery juice- crushed tomatos in sauce make it saucier. IMHO the
spoonful of sugar or honey is essential to the flavor balance.

Leila

Leila wrote:
> Made pizza with the kids the other day, from Deborah Madison's
> Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone cookbook. The pizza dough was the usual
> - I used a 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour to make it slightly healthier.
> Not worth typing up, your crust is probably just as good.
>
> Her homemade pizza sauce seemed different from others; I adapted
> slightly. She says just sweat some garlic (2 or 3 smashed cloves) in
> olive oil until soft, then add a 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes in
> sauce and simmer for about 30 minutes until watery part evaporates. The
> usual herbs and seasonings - oregano, thyme, salt & pepper. I added a
> heaping spoonful of honey. Pizza parlor sauce is always flavored with a
> sweetener.
>
> I loved the flavor and consistency of this sauce - and that it was so
> easy to make. Worked better than using whole or sliced tomatoes in
> watery juice- crushed tomatos in sauce make it saucier. IMHO the
> spoonful of sugar or honey is essential to the flavor balance.
>
A more authentic way of sweetening tomato sauce is to add a carrot to
the mix. I don't do that because it often turns out too sweet for me.
I'm fine using the can of crush tomatoes.

"Leila" > wrote:
> Made pizza with the kids the other day, from Deborah Madison's
> Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone cookbook. The pizza dough was the usual
> - I used a 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour to make it slightly healthier.
> Not worth typing up, your crust is probably just as good.
>
> Her homemade pizza sauce seemed different from others; I adapted
> slightly. She says just sweat some garlic (2 or 3 smashed cloves) in
> olive oil until soft, then add a 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes in
> sauce and simmer for about 30 minutes until watery part evaporates. The
> usual herbs and seasonings - oregano, thyme, salt & pepper. I added a
> heaping spoonful of honey. Pizza parlor sauce is always flavored with a
> sweetener.
>
> I loved the flavor and consistency of this sauce - and that it was so
> easy to make. Worked better than using whole or sliced tomatoes in
> watery juice- crushed tomatos in sauce make it saucier. IMHO the
> spoonful of sugar or honey is essential to the flavor balance.

I make a similar sauce, the primary difference is adding a chopped onion in
with the garlic. The crushed tomatoes was definitely the key to getting the
consistency I was looking for. I don't put any sweetener in the sauce, but I
usually use green peppers in the topping, which adds a sweet note.

--
( #wff_ng_7# at #verizon# period #net# )

Leila wrote:

> I loved the flavor and consistency of this sauce - and that it was so
> easy to make. Worked better than using whole or sliced tomatoes in
> watery juice- crushed tomatos in sauce make it saucier. IMHO the
> spoonful of sugar or honey is essential to the flavor balance.

I add sugar and either red wine vinegar or Tabasco. A bit of vodka or white
wine can perk up the flavors too.

I have no idea how much of any of those I add; I just add little by little
until it tastes "right."

Bob

Leila wrote:
<snip>

>
> I loved the flavor and consistency of this sauce - and that it was so
> easy to make. Worked better than using whole or sliced tomatoes in
> watery juice- crushed tomatos in sauce make it saucier. IMHO the
> spoonful of sugar or honey is essential to the flavor balance.
>
> Leila

I do the same, but I also slightly caramelize onions and sautee green
peppers, before adding the tomatoes to the sauce.

-L.