FOOD: pizza sauce

Once again, my traffic pentoooooples every time I do a food post.  So here's my pizza sauce.  It's somewhat similar to my spaghetti sauce, but different enough to warrant it's own post.

Due to food sensitivities at home I can not use onions.  I can however use leeks.  Thankfully they are interchangeable.

NB:  Even though this sauce is very similar to my pasta sauce, it is too strong for noodles.  When you're tasting it during the cooking process, it will be very strongly flavoured.  But that's normal and to be expected!


Ingredients:

4-5 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil  (enough to cover the bottom of your large skillet)
2-3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
2 small onions (or 1 whole leek)
3 small stalks of celery (finely chopped)
2 cans of Aurora chopped tomatoes.  (398ml size)
2 anchovy fillets or the equivalent amt of anchovy paste.
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp dried basil
5 tbsp dried oregano
1 pinch rosemary
1 pinch tyme
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper (or to taste)

Method:

In a large skillet, add the oil, onion (leek) anchovies and garlic.  medium ish heat until the onions soften.   Do not burn the garlic!  (It's easy to do)

Once the onions have sweat down a little, turn up the heat to medium.  As the garlic starts to brown add ONLY ONE can of the tomatoes.  There should be lots of steam and sizzling.  Stir well.  Add spices, salt, and pepper.  Stir well and cover.

COVER and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes or so until the mixture reduces to about 1/2.  The tomatoes will be starting to caramelize at this point and things might start to stick a little to your pot.  (That's ok... try not to let things stick, but the little bit of sticking tells you you're doing it right)

Add the sugar and the next can of tomatoes and reduce heat to a low-medium.  (Or is that medium low?)

Simmer COVERED for about 15-20 minutes.  It should reduce a little.

Use an immersion blender to completely puree the sauce.  You can use a regular blender, but watch out for burning, steaming, spatter...  (Don't say I didn't warn you).

Depending on how saucy you like your pizza will determine the yield.  I get about 5 pizzas about this recipe.  Based on approximately 1 Cup per pizza.  (227ml)


Finally, let the sauce rest in the fridge for 12-24 hours before using or freezing.  Then freeze in individual serving containers.