Most people like pizza. It has been popular since World War II when soldiers returning form Italy brought back their acquired taste for this flat-bread that is baked with cheese and pizza sauce on it. Demand spread very quickly and in the fifties a number of pizzerias and chain stores went into business.
It is interesting to watch how the dough is hand spun. The dough is kneaded into a flattened shape and then tossed in the air. It is tossed and spun until it is the right shape and size for the baking pan. The cook then spreads sauces, cheese, olive oil and oregano on the pie before baking it on baking stones or in the oven.
With the exception of white pizzas, all pies have tomato sauces as an essential part of the ingredients. White pizzas are made with olive oil, spices, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. Mushrooms, peppers, anchovies, meatballs and pepperoni are all toppings that can be added to the basic pie.
The best sauces are simple, hearty and rich. They are bursting with tomato flavor and any spices serve only to enhance that flavor. The pie works because of the interplay of tastes of the mozzarella, olive oil, tomatoes and crust.
All sauces begin with tomato paste and either fresh, or canned, tomatoes. Look for cans of tomatoes that are chopped and packed in puree, rather than juice. The puree gives richness to your sauces.
Finely chop a clove of garlic and a small onion. Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan and saute the vegetables until they look golden and transparent. Then add two small cans of tomato paste and the two large cans of tomatoes in puree.
Pour water into the two large cans and add that to the pot. You should stir until the paste is dissolved into the rest of the mixture. A good basic spice component is made with one teaspoon each of sugar, salt, oregano and a quarter spoon of black pepper.
When the pot has reached a boil, lower the flame and let it simmer. It will take several hours for the mixture to cook down into a great tasting sauce. Make sure to stir it occasionally to prevent scorching and burning. This recipe will cover at least several pizzas, if not more. The extra can be frozen for future use.
It is interesting to watch how the dough is hand spun. The dough is kneaded into a flattened shape and then tossed in the air. It is tossed and spun until it is the right shape and size for the baking pan. The cook then spreads sauces, cheese, olive oil and oregano on the pie before baking it on baking stones or in the oven.
With the exception of white pizzas, all pies have tomato sauces as an essential part of the ingredients. White pizzas are made with olive oil, spices, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. Mushrooms, peppers, anchovies, meatballs and pepperoni are all toppings that can be added to the basic pie.
The best sauces are simple, hearty and rich. They are bursting with tomato flavor and any spices serve only to enhance that flavor. The pie works because of the interplay of tastes of the mozzarella, olive oil, tomatoes and crust.
All sauces begin with tomato paste and either fresh, or canned, tomatoes. Look for cans of tomatoes that are chopped and packed in puree, rather than juice. The puree gives richness to your sauces.
Finely chop a clove of garlic and a small onion. Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan and saute the vegetables until they look golden and transparent. Then add two small cans of tomato paste and the two large cans of tomatoes in puree.
Pour water into the two large cans and add that to the pot. You should stir until the paste is dissolved into the rest of the mixture. A good basic spice component is made with one teaspoon each of sugar, salt, oregano and a quarter spoon of black pepper.
When the pot has reached a boil, lower the flame and let it simmer. It will take several hours for the mixture to cook down into a great tasting sauce. Make sure to stir it occasionally to prevent scorching and burning. This recipe will cover at least several pizzas, if not more. The extra can be frozen for future use.
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If you bake a lot of your own stuff, you might want to invest in a few pizza peels which are great for getting large flat things out of a hot oven.