11/14/2024
🍕 Windsor Style Pizza Sauce 🍅
This marinara sauce with a touch of heat and herbs is perfect for all your pizza creations, stromboli, or as a flavorful dipping sauce. It's full of bright flavors with a subtle kick that will elevate your dishes!
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small to medium onion, chopped
1 to 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Harissa powder or paste (for a slight heat)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika (avoid Hungarian Hot)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or chili powder
1 1/2 tsp tomato paste
14 oz (400 ml) crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp sugar (optional, for balancing acidity)
1 tbsp fresh finely chopped oregano
Instructions:
Cook the Aromatics: In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until it starts to soften.
Add Garlic & Seasonings: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add the thyme, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, and Harissa powder or paste, along with salt and pepper. Stir everything together, allowing the spices to bloom in the oil.
Add Spices and Tomato Paste: Add the paprika, crushed red pepper flakes (or chili powder), and tomato paste. Stir to coat the onions and garlic with the tomato paste and spices.
Simmer the Sauce: Pour in the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, and butter. Stir well, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
Finish the Sauce: Near the end of cooking, stir in the grated parmesan cheese. Taste the sauce, and if it has a strong acidic taste (sometimes tomatoes can be too acidic), you can add sugar to balance the flavor.
Add Fresh Oregano & Cool: Once the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the fresh chopped oregano for a burst of fresh flavor.
Store & Serve: Allow the sauce to cool before transferring it to a jar with a lid. Store in the fridge until needed. This recipe yields about 2 cups of sauce, which is perfect for multiple pizzas or a couple of dishes. You can also double the recipe to have extra sauce for freezing.
Notes:
Harissa: Adds a mild, flavorful heat to the sauce, but you can adjust the amount depending on your spice preference.
Tomato Paste: Enhances the depth of flavor. Don't skip it!
Sugar: Optional, but great if you find the tomatoes too acidic.