Recipe > Sauces
Salsa Pizzaiola
This is the ultimate tomato sauce. Truly a beautiful recipe; if you wish to use this as base sauce to line pizzas be sure to simmer until very thick!

Plum tomatoes always give the best flavours, however don't worry if you can't get hold of them, (or they're too expensive) as canned or tinned tomatoes are an adequate substitute for this recipe.

Ingredients
1 Tblsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1/2 onion
450g / 1lb fresh or canned tomatoes
2 Tblsp tomato puree
1 Tblsp brown sugar
100ml stock
1/2 bunch of oregano and basil
Salt and pepper

Mise-en-Place:
Roughly chop the garlic, onions and tomatoes
Make the stock
Chop the herbs

Method:
In a saucepan or wok over a medium to high heat:
Heat the oil
'Brown off' the garlic
Add and 'brown off' the onions
Add the tomatoes, puree and brown sugar, cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the remaining ingredients
Simmer for 5-8 minutes
Blend or liquidize
Check the seasoning
Serve

Adjust: Tomatoes can be very acidic, if the sauce tastes a little too tart, a touch of sugar will help to negate the acidity
Too thin: (If making for pizza) Continue to cook / rapidly boil until the liquid content reduces
Too thick: Add a little stock or water
Too bland: Add more fresh herbs, salt and pepper

Science behind the dish: Tomato puree initially thickens the sauce. It's tiny particles of vegetable matter, once evenly distributed throughout the liquid, actually hinders and slows the water molecules' free movement thus causing the sauce to thicken.