Pizza Sauce

Ingredients

• 400 g canned tomatoes, preferably skinned and whole
• 150 g tomato purée
• 1 onion
• olive oil
• garlic
• oregano
• chilli pepper

Method

Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Dice the onion into 5mm pieces—this size strikes the balance between releasing aromatic-vegetables sugars through caramelisation and maintaining enough surface area that they soften rather than turn to pulp. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and salt it lightly. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You're looking for the edges to turn translucent and the centre to soften, not for browning. Mincing the garlic finely and adding it now means it'll cook alongside the remaining aromatics rather than burn into bitterness; 2–3 minutes in the pan is enough.

Crack the chilli pepper in half (seeds and all if you want heat, seeds removed if you don't), then add it along with the tomato purée. This is the critical move. Stir the purée constantly for 2–3 minutes until the oil separates and coats the surface—you'll see a sheen break across the top. This simmering of concentrated tomato breaks down the pectin matrix and allows the fat to carry the tomato's fat-soluble flavour compounds, deepening the sauce's richness. Without this step, the purée sits dense and one-dimensional.

Pour in the canned tomatoes and their liquid. Crush them roughly against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon as you stir. The acid in both the purée and the tinned fruit will denature the onion's cell walls, softening it further. Add the oregano now—dried oregano releases its volatile oils slowly in acidic conditions, so it needs time to infuse. Reduce the heat to low.

Let the sauce simmer uncovered for at least 45 minutes, ideally 90 minutes. Longer cooking concentrates the tomato flavour through water evaporation and allows the flavour-building of deeper, slightly sweet notes that short cooking cannot produce. Stir every 15 minutes to prevent sticking on the base. The sauce is ready when it's reduced by about a third, coats the back of a spoon without pooling, and tastes balanced—no raw garlic edge, no harsh acidity. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the chilli halves before using. This sauce keeps in the fridge for five days or freezes for three months.