Fresh Tomato Pizza Sauce 14-Nov-2014

A simple sauce to go with a simple crust.

ingredients

• One 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 anchovies
• 2 garlic cloves
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup basil leaves
• Salt
• Pepper
• 12 ounces fresh mozzarella, grated
• Grandma-Style Pizza Dough

preparation

Drain one 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes and pulse tomatoes with 2 anchovies, 2 garlic cloves, 6 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/4 cup basil leaves in a food processor or blender until mostly smooth (some texture is okay); season with salt and pepper.

Put It All Together:

A classic Grandma - just sauce and mozzarella - flips the usual script: Add cheese before sauce. Master this basic pie and you’re ready to improvise (see below for ideas).

Classic Mozzarella Pie:

Place a rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 525&degF; or as high as oven will go.

Once Grandma-Style Pizza Dough has risen on baking sheet, top with 12 ounces fresh mozzarella, grated, and dot pie with 1 1/2 cups Fresh Tomato Pizza Sauce. Bake pie until golden brown and crisp on bottom and sides, 20 to 30 minutes.

That Topping Game

When it comes to toppings, restraint is key. “It’s all about ratio,” Pinello says. “You want them to work with the crust, the sauce, the cheese - in balance.” We’ll even lose the sauce sometimes to make white pies. At right, find four of our favorite ways to go Grandma.

• Provolone, Red Onion, Black Olives
• Roasted Cauliflower, Ricotta, Breadcrumbs
• Mozzarella, Fennel, Spicy Soppressata
• Marinated Tuscan Kale, Ricotta, Mozzarella