There are lots of versions of tomato sauce used to make Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. Some pizzerias use cooked sauces, some make simple uncooked sauces by draining and crushing canned tomatoes and adding olive oil and herbs For the Chicago deep-dish pizzas in this chapter, we chose a slow-simmered sauce that starts with canned crushed tomatoes that are cooked down to produce a thick, rich-tasting sauce. A combination of dried and fresh herbs is added, along with a big kick of garlic Add red pepper flakes if you like; we especially liked them with the spinach deep-dish pizzas.
Yield : Makes 3½ cups
Ingredients
- 2 cans (28 ounces each) whole italian-style peeled tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 large fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions
Place the tomatoes, including the juice from the cans, in a large saucepan. Crush the tomatoes using the back of a large spoon or squish them with your hand. Stir in the oregano and salt. Simmer the tomatoes, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the sauce is thick and all the liquid has evaporated, about 50 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Stir in the garlic and basil. Add the red pepper flakes, if desired. Use immediately, or refrigerate in a tightly covered container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Bring to room temperature before using.
Would you like to leave a comment about this recipe?
Add a comment