Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
• 1½ teaspoons minced garlic
• ½ cup good red wine, such as Chianti
• 1 can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Recipe Information

Of course we can all buy passata or tomato pizza base sauce from supermarkets nowadays. But we think it is much more fun to make your own sauce. We use a recipe based on a traditional Marinara sauce. Making your own sauce ensures that all of your ingredients are fresh and you’re sure to get more appreciation and personal satisfaction from cooking a more authentic, tasty and genuinely homemade pizza. It’s also a great opportunity to create your own unique twist on a dish that everyone will love; yet no one will be able to copy.

Traditional Marinara Pizza sauce has tomatoes crushed, or blended, sliced fresh garlic, fresh oregano, extra virgin olive oil and maybe some sea salt to taste. Some pizzerias may use basil instead, or in addition to the oregano. This recipe not only allows the skill of the pizza maker to come through, but really showcases the quality of the individual.

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 15 minutes.