Pizza Sauces.

Most people think making homemade pizza sauce is complicated, when actually it’s just a handful of ingredients whizzed together in a food processor. When we make pizza here at Riverwoods Mill, we usually make two sauces, basic red sauce and basil pesto. These two sauces allow you to make wildly different types of pizza and bonus, it only takes 10 minutes to make both. Have extra of the red sauce? You can quickly turn leftovers into a quick pasta sauce. Have extra of the pesto? Slather it onto a sandwich. These two recipes are great to have in your back pocket.

Photo by Fontana Forni

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Basic Pizza Sauce.

Makes enough for 12 pizzas
Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 28 ounce can of tomatoes (our favorite brand is Muir Glen)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 pinches of freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1.   Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse together until smooth but still grainy, not chunky. Sauce with keep in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or up to 14 days in a Sub-Zero.

Basic Pesto.

Makes enough for 4 pizzas
Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil

2-3 garlic cloves, peeled

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Kosher salt

Instructions:

1.   Add basil, garlic, pine nuts, and a pinch of salt to a small food processor and process until they are very finely minced. Add the olive oil and process until the mixture is combined. Add the cheese and process briefly, just enough to combine. Sauce will keep in fridge for 7 days.