Pizza Sauce
4 servings
20 minutes
Pizza sauce is a key element of perfect Italian pizza, giving it a rich flavor and appetizing aroma. Historically, this sauce originates from Italian cuisine, where the combination of tomato paste, aromatic herbs, and spices creates a harmony of flavors. Its rich red color, the spiciness of garlic, and the sweet note of bell pepper make the pizza truly juicy. This sauce is perfect for spreading on the crust before adding toppings, giving each slice depth of flavor. It can be used not only for classic pizza but also as a base for other Italian dishes like pasta or lasagna. The sauce is easy to prepare and can be stored in the fridge to always have this delicious ingredient on hand.
1
Peel and dice a medium-sized onion. Crush a garlic clove with the flat side of a knife and chop it coarsely. Heat oil in a pan, sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. Do not let them turn golden, or they will taste bitter.
- Onion: 1 piece
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
2
Clean the sweet bell pepper (preferably red) from internal partitions and seeds, cut into cubes - size doesn't matter as all vegetables will be blended anyway. Place the bell pepper in a pan and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until soft.
- Sweet pepper: 1 piece
3
Add concentrated tomato paste, sugar, salt, and all spices. Choose a quality paste that is 100% natural and starch-free. It should not be unnaturally bright red or brown and burnt. The higher the quality of the paste, the better the sauce will taste. Basil and oregano can be fresh or dried; you can also use a ready-made mix of Italian dried herbs.
- Tomato paste: 3 tablespoons
- Sugar: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: 0.5 teaspoon
- Dried basil: 0.5 teaspoon
- Dried oregano: 0.5 teaspoon
- Ground black pepper: to taste
- Ground chili pepper: pinch
4
Mix and heat everything together for about a minute to enhance the aroma of the spices. Then add a little water to dilute the paste to the desired thickness. Reduce the heat and simmer for 7-8 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Stir the sauce frequently while cooking, as the tomato paste tends to stick to the bottom. If you want a richer color, add a bit of ground sweet paprika.
- Water: 50 ml
5
Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetable mixture until smooth. You can leave small bits of bell pepper.
6
In the end, you'll have a rich pizza sauce made from tomato paste, a beautiful bright red color, with the aroma of Italian herbs and bell pepper. Just cool it down and it's ready to spread on the crust.