Just like the real thing

Homemade pizza is tricky.  The dough’s texture is never really right, the sauce is never zing-y enough, and the cheese doesn’t melt right.  At least that has been my experience.

 

I’ve solved the dough problem by going to Trader Joe’s and picking up TJ's Fresh Pizza Dough and using a pizza stone in my oven.  And, I’ve found a pre-grated package of three-cheese “pizza” blend that solves the stringy cheese problem.  It was the sauce that I could never get right.  My pizza sauce always tasted like spaghetti sauce.  And that’s just wrong!  Pizza sauce has a unique flavor and all the experimenting in the world wasn’t solving that problem.  I tried about fifteen different tomato sauces.  I added tomato paste.  I added Italian Seasoning.  I switched that out and used just Oregano.  Nothing worked.

 

Then one day, my husband’s best buddy shared a recipe he got from a co-worker for pizza sauce.  The recipe is called “Gary’s Pizza Sauce”.  I had tried everything else I could think of, to no avail.  And, I’ll admit, I was intrigued by the directions on the recipe.  (It caught me off guard and made me laugh.)  So, I figured “why not?”

 

It is too profound to say that pizza sauce changed my life.  So, can we just agree that this pizza sauce recipe changed my pizza life?  It tastes like the real thing!!!  And the secret ingredient that makes it taste just right?  It's vinegar - who knew?!  One little tablespoonful of magic.  What a difference it makes.  My sauce went from ho-hum to woo-hoo! with that spoonful of tangy goodness.  Besides, who doesn't want the green palms of a gourmet pizza sauce maker?

 

Gary’s Homemade Pizza Sauce

INGREDIENTS

2	8 oz cans tomato sauce
2	6 oz cans tomato paste
4	T oregano
4	T sweet basil
1-2	T minced garlic
	freshly ground black pepper
¼	cup minced onion  – OR
1	T onion powder
1	T (or more) vinegar – it adds tang!

Directions
1. Heat tomato sauce and tomato paste in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Grind the dry herbs between your palms while adding to the sauce.  It makes a finer grind and brings out the flavor – it also gets your palms green and gives you the feel of a gourmet sauce maker!  J

3. Add remaining ingredients.  Cook for 15 minutes over medium-low heat.