I am really a snob when it comes to pizza. I like great pizza. Right now I am on a mission to make the best pizza. The total package has not come together yet, but I think that I have found part of the eluding pizza – the sauce. Back in July GI Joe took me the New York City for my birthday. We stayed at the lovely Waldorf Astoria and the concierge knew her stuff. The restaurants she suggested were some of the best I have been to. They were family owned serving great food along with great ambiance as well as having superb service. The last day we wanted something quick yet good before we caught our flight back to Atlanta and she suggested a small pizza place two blocks away. Now it was my birthday but, GI Joe loves pizza so I sacrificed for him and since he sat through Billy Elliott which by the way is great, I sprang for the pizza. We walked in and there were two other people there. Now what do you think when you walk in a restaurant and there is no one there. Yea me, too. What’s wrong? But we stayed and oh my gosh am I glad we did. I had the best pizza of my life. I am not exaggerating. Since it was MY birthday I ordered the pizza that I wanted Pizza Margherita. I was in heaven. Now because of this heavenly experience I am on this perfect pizza mission.
Last May Cooking Light did a wonderful feature on pizza. Since then I have made their Basic Pizza Sauce which by the way is very similar to Jaime Oliver’s sauce. I love it for its simplicity. The sweet and acid flavor is just right. The texture can be adjusted to your liking. Me I like the sauce on the chunky side so I just cut up the tomatoes with kitchen shears, but for a smoother sauce use an immersion blender. Any texture you choose you’re going to love the flavor. You do need to use San Marzano tomatoes which I found easily at Publix. This could be the key to the great flavor so I would not substitute another type. These tomatoes are packed in a very thick tomato sauce instead of a watery liquid that you find in other brands. So here is one part of the perfect pizza.
Basic Pizza Sauce from Cooking Light
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan: cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove tomatoes from can using a slotted spoon, reserving juices. Crush tomatoes. Stir tomatoes, juices, salt, and oregano into garlic mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Bring to room temperature before using.
Makes enough sauce for 2 12 inch pizzas.By the way Atlanta Dish featured my blog last Friday. Check out their blog . They can dish out some good information about eating out in Atlanta.
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Enjoy,
The Teacher Cooks
The Teacher Cooks 
Only pizza snobs actually taste the pizza. Everybody else just eats pizza because it is pizza. And I agree, the sauce is a huge factor. I was in the grocery store once and this random lady came up to me and told me that if you put a bay leaf in the sauce it brings all of the flavors out. Just another idea.
I found your blog through Atlanta Dish – this is truly excellent! It’s nice to meet another local blogger & foodie! I make a wonderful pizza – I like to make my own crust – this sauce sounds great!
How nice Atlanta Dish featured your blog, Wanda!
Congratulations!
I don’t eat much pizza anymore…with the kids gone.
But I’m copying this. Maybe we can have a grandkid pizza day next time they’re here!
I learned that you remove tomatoes from can using a slotted spoon to reserve juices.
Crush tomatoes, Stir tomatoes, juices, salt, and oregano into garlic mixture.
I didn’t know that you would bring everything to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes.
Sounds like you had a great time! I do not like the red sauce on pizzas, i always order mine with light sauce but maybe this could be different, im always up for something new.
This pizza sauce sounds so yummy. My mom usually just buys sauce from the store. But i’m definately gonna have to tell her about this recipe!
I learned that its not that hard to make this pizza sauce.
this pizza sauce seems amazing. i was expecting you to use some type of tomatoe paste for your sauce but you made it all by hand. =)
if you like a thinner sauce then you can use an immersion blender and make it nice and smooth.
I learned that you should use San Marzano tomatoes because if you don’t use them the flavor will be different!
I learned that if you want a smoother sauce you have to use a blender to cut up the tomatoes and you have to us the San Marzano tomatoes or the sauce wont taste the same.
I learned that if you use San Marzano tomatoes the sauce will taste better!
this looks simple enough to make.
I learned that if you want smoother sauce then you can use an immersion blender.
That looks really yummy! I might have to try that at home 🙂
I’m a pizza snob, too!! You’ll have to post when you get the perfect recipe so I can try and make it myself!
i always love my pizza with a little with tonys seasoning.
tonys on pizza make it taste a lot better.
The type of tamato gives you the flavor that you are searching for in your pizza sauce. 🙂
I didn’t know that extra virgin olive oil was used in the sauce or even included as an ingredient for a pizza at all.
I didn’t know there was so much garlic in pizza sauce.
this pizza looks good but when i was reading about the pizza I didn’t know you can store it up to 2 weeks which is very weird.
Sounds great! I learned when following a recipe try not to substitute specific brands, like the San Marzano Tomatoes, because you never know if it may be the key ingredient to a unique and wonderful taste.
I never knew that you have to boil the sauce and thn let it sit still. I thought that would defeat the purpose.
I didn’t realize that making pizza sauce was so simple or that it required so few ingredients. I’ve never bought San Marzano tomatoes but if it is the key to the taste then I’ll have to buy a can.
How to remove the tomatos from the sauce, which is a good thing since i’m not a good fan to the chunks
I love to make pizza from scratch.. Still this sauce looks very good I would like to try it.
I learned that you can cut the tomatoes with kitchen shears to make the sauce chunkier.(:*
This pizza sauce sounds really good, but i have never heard of an immersion blender, which you said you could use to make to sauce thinner.
I learned that different tomatoes can give different flavor to the sauce!!
I learned that you need to use San Marzano tomatoes, which you can find at Publix.
I see you’re using EXTRA virgin olive oil. That’s the best type of olive oil. To get extra virgin olive oil, a process without using chemicals, and instead using cold-pressure, is applied. This produces low acidity. (Fun fact for you!)
I wouldn’t think that using a different kind of tomato would make the sauce taste any different.
I learned that if you want a smoother sauce you should use an immersion blender.
i learned that you can store pizza sauce up to two weeks
i didnt know you put 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to make pizza sauce
I learned that the type of tomatoe you use affects the taste
why can`t you use table salt.
i learned making pizza sauce is really easy!
i didnt know you could put olive oil in pizza sauce
i learned that a few spices can really change the taste in a positive way!.(:
i learned you could store this in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
i didnt know you would bring everything to a boil them simmer it for 30 mins.
this pizza looks good but when i was reading about the pizza I didn’t know you can store it up to 2 weeks which is very weird.
i learned that you have to simmer for 30 minutes, stir occasionally.
i leaned that it is not heard at all to make a every good pizza sauce and i ant know you could put olive oil into it to
I did not know that you could store a pizza sauce for up to two weeks after you make it. The pizza looks really good!!
I dont remember this one at all probably because i always dont eat or just dont remember it.to be honest
Removing the chunks of tomato from the can is a usefull technigue because i absolutely hate tomatoes!
I learned that you use different tomatoes to get different flavors of sause.
dont remember
I like using the immersion blender! 🙂
I wasnt here when Ms.Lupo did the sausage pizza demo but the pizza looks awesome.
I learned that some tomato sauce brands have too much sugar in it. -Willow 3
make sure you remember to stir frequently to mix up the ingredients and it doesn’t form a hard top.
I learned that you can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
I learned that you can store the pizza sauce for up to 2 weeks.
I learned that different types of tomatoes can make it have a different flavor
store this in the you can put the sauce in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
You can blend the sauce in a blender if you want it smoother, or leave it chunky for people that like chunkiness
for a smoother sauce use an immersion blender.
you should always boil the sauce and then let it sit still.
I learned that ragu pizza sauce id a little sweeter than normal.
You can store the pizza sauce in the fridge for up to two weeks.
I learned that you cant use salt in pizza sauce it will make it taste very nasty.