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Where Can I Purchase Pizza Sauce

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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,361 ✭✭✭Boskowski


    I feel my recipe above hasn't been viewed with the seriousness it deserves. :)
    It probably doesn't sound complicated or elaborate enough. But I'm totally serious. In cooking less is often better than more. Pizza and pasta are cheap dishes and not meant to be elaborate.

    I have this from an Italian pizza baker who used to go out with my gf's friend.

    Tin of tomatoes. 1 clove of garlic. 1/4 teaspoon salt. 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. 1/2 teaspoon basil. Blend. Finished.

    You will never need another pizza sauce recipe.


  • Registered Users Posts: 16,663 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    Boskowski wrote: »
    I feel my recipe above hasn't been viewed with the seriousness it deserves. :)
    It probably doesn't sound complicated or elaborate enough. But I'm totally serious. In cooking less is often better than more. Pizza and pasta are cheap dishes and not meant to be elaborate.

    I have this from an Italian pizza baker who used to go out with my gf's friend.

    Tin of tomatoes. 1 clove of garlic. 1/4 teaspoon salt. 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. 1/2 teaspoon basil. Blend. Finished.

    You will never need another pizza sauce recipe.

    Do you want a medal?

    That's too watery for a pizza sauce - but that's just my opinion.
    You clearly know better.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,089 ✭✭✭Johnny_Fontane


    Boskowski wrote: »
    I feel my recipe above hasn't been viewed with the seriousness it deserves. :)
    It probably doesn't sound complicated or elaborate enough. But I'm totally serious. In cooking less is often better than more. Pizza and pasta are cheap dishes and not meant to be elaborate.

    I have this from an Italian pizza baker who used to go out with my gf's friend.

    Tin of tomatoes. 1 clove of garlic. 1/4 teaspoon salt. 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. 1/2 teaspoon basil. Blend. Finished.

    You will never need another pizza sauce recipe.

    All depends on the quality of your tin of tomatoes. 90% of the stuff they sell in supermarkets is watery muck. Your Italian pizza baker friend, no doubt, buys good quality tins of tomatoes.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,361 ✭✭✭Boskowski


    I don't know I just buy the cheap stuff from Lidl which is at least Italian I suppose, but I dont pay any particular attention to it. I'm pretty sure restaurants by the cheapest stuff they can get.

    As for the watery issue and as a disclaimer I have to say I like my pizzas Italian style as in thin crispy and not overloaded with stuff. I like the traditional pizzas like Tonno, Capricciosa, Funghi, Napoli etc. I don't like American/Irish style with pan style base and inch thick layers of all sorts on it. For those maybe a different sauce is more suited.

    Anyway I love my pizzas and for years I have tried all sorts of elaborate pizza sauces. Cooked ones with this that and the other thing in it. Went to lengths but never really tasted like in a restaurant. Was really sceptical when he told me this simple recipe. But its awesome. Sometimes I do pizza bases just with that on it, no cheese even, as a snack. And people wolf it down.

    Since we're all into pizzas here I will share the other secret my buddy shared with me. Our standard 230c ovens aren't hot enough, restaurant pizza is made at 350c or so and is only in the oven for 4 maybe 5 minutes. But at 230c it takes more like 10, 11 or even 12 minutes. But the toppings will burn over that time and the base will dry out. So what you do is you just put the sauce on the base and put it in the oven as high as you can, right under the oven ceiling. So the heat comes mostly from the bottom into the pizza. Temp obviously on the max. And you bake that for 5 minutes. Then take it out and put your toppings on it and put it back in for another 5 or 6 minutes again right at the top.
    Its maybe not 100% like the real thing but very very close and probably as good as can be with our standard ovens.
    Obviously you want a good base from water, flour, fresh yeast and a little salt, knead well and let rise properly in a warm place for 30 mins.

    Sorry if I'm a little overenthusiastic, maybe this isn't welcome, but I just love pizzas. I mean well.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,306 ✭✭✭Irish Stones


    Boskowski wrote: »
    I don't know I just buy the cheap stuff from Lidl which is at least Italian I suppose, but I dont pay any particular attention to it.

    LIDL is a German chain of discount markets and most of the stuff they sell is made in Germany though they sell it under Italian names.
    We have many LIDL stores over here too, and sauces, pasta, cheese and all other food supposed to be Italian and with Italian names Germany made.
    So I wouldn't rely on food on those shelves to prepare an Italian dish.
    Not many Italians shop in those stores, their main customers are Eastern European people.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,361 ✭✭✭Boskowski


    LIDL is a German chain of discount markets and most of the stuff they sell is made in Germany though they sell it under Italian names.
    We have many LIDL stores over here too, and sauces, pasta, cheese and all other food supposed to be Italian and with Italian names Germany made.
    So I wouldn't rely on food on those shelves to prepare an Italian dish.
    Not many Italians shop in those stores, their main customers are Eastern European people.

    Could be I don't know. Lidl are all over Europe now and I assume they also source all over Europe. Just checked the Lidl parmesan that I have in my fridge and its Italian.

    In my local Lidl its all Irish people buying there. In fact we have very few EE here. That is of course but for myself, does Berlin qualify for EE?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,361 ✭✭✭Boskowski


    Do you want a medal?

    You seem like a nice fella


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,306 ✭✭✭Irish Stones


    Boskowski wrote: »
    Could be I don't know. Lidl are all over Europe now and I assume they also source all over Europe. Just checked the Lidl parmesan that I have in my fridge and its Italian.

    In my local Lidl its all Irish people buying there. In fact we have very few EE here. That is of course but for myself, does Berlin qualify for EE?

    By EE I mean mainly Romanians and Bulgarians, we have plenty of them here in northwest Italy.
    Yeah, it is possible that LIDL are supplied from all Europe, but what we found here (northern Italy) is mainly German stuff.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,089 ✭✭✭Johnny_Fontane


    Boskowski wrote: »
    I don't know I just buy the cheap stuff from Lidl which is at least Italian I suppose, but I dont pay any particular attention to it. I'm pretty sure restaurants by the cheapest stuff they can get.

    As for the watery issue

    The watery issue relates to the tomatoes. I can assure you that decent pizza places dont scrimp on the quality of their tomatoes. I have made my own and used cans, and can definitely recommend the cans. Its the perfect consistency and has a great flavour.

    I've been making pizza for probably 5/6 years and constantly change how I make them, just trying to get better. My current secret ingredient is dove hill yeast. its a dried yeast thats not divided into a single 7g packs. Its dynamite compared to the other dried stuff and I find I get a much nicer rise. And its cheap, about €1.80 in Avoca for a bag that will last you a long time. Also if you can get your hands on some burrata, which is mozzarella injected with cream, its really amazing. The cheap 59c balls of mozzarella are grand, but getting fresh buffalo mozzarella (at probably 5 times the price!) is a nice little luxury on (the chefs) pizza.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,196 ✭✭✭quaalude


    Yeah popped in there last night, sadly they had none of the tins there, but it's a great shop.

    I was in there yesterday - they've got the sauce back in, but they've jacked the price to €2.39! That's a 60% increase.
    I'll get it somewhere else. I didn't buy anything else either - it put me off shopping there.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 28,403 ✭✭✭✭vicwatson


    quaalude wrote: »
    I was in there yesterday - they've got the sauce back in, but they've jacked the price to €2.39! That's a 60% increase.
    I'll get it somewhere else. I didn't buy anything else either - it put me off shopping there.


    Little Italy Ltd have a 4.1kg tin for €7.50 !

    http://littleitalyltd.com/products/185

    I assume Evergreen's tins are 400g for €2.39 ! Scandalous price.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,196 ✭✭✭quaalude


    vicwatson wrote: »
    Little Italy Ltd have a 4.1kg tin for €7.50 !

    http://littleitalyltd.com/products/185

    Such a large tin isn't useful for most home cooks (deffo isn't for me).

    I see they have the 400g tins too though - for €1.50 :)
    http://littleitalyltd.com/products/mutti-pizza-sauce-spicy-aromatizzata-400g
    vicwatson wrote: »
    I assume Evergreen's tins are 400g for €2.39 ! Scandalous price.

    Yep:
    photo_zpsa9fed543.jpg~original


  • Registered Users Posts: 28,403 ✭✭✭✭vicwatson


    ^^^^^

    That one you linked to is a spicy sauce for 1.50, couldn't find the 400g of regular sauce on their site

    Perhaps buy the large tin and freeze in ziploc bags enough to defrost for 1/2 pizzas at a time?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,196 ✭✭✭quaalude


    vicwatson wrote: »
    ^^^^^

    That one you linked to is a spicy sauce for 1.50, couldn't find the 400g of regular sauce on their site
    I'm a little confused. I think that it's the same tin- regular, not spicy - and the description on the Little Italy website isn't right? The pic is the same as the one I buy anyway.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24 WeleaseWoger


    This is the best recipe for pizza topping I have come across. Takes 5 minutes

    Mix together:
    whole tube or small can of tomato puree
    1 clove crushed garlic
    2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
    good handful of dried mixed herbs
    half cup to one cup of water to thin out (depending on preferred consistency)

    Best if you can make it somewhat in advance to let the flavours blend but still nice made and used straightaway.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,268 ✭✭✭deegs


    I make my pizza from scratch, I've even made my own mozeralla!!

    For simple pizza you really cant beat a tin of whole plum tomatoes (san marzano is best).

    1) open tin
    2) pour into bowl
    3) Squeeze and squash with hand
    4) put on pizza

    By far this is my most common sauce. During the summer I grow san marzana and I may blend fresh ones, but blending makes them watery.

    I have made other sauces, but really you cannot beat the simplicity and freshness of the above.

    Edit: actually sometimes my wife will blend the tomatoes with onion, garlic, courgette, spinach, left over carrots etc. to make sure the kids are eating healthy, bad food :)

    Edit2: never buy chopped tomatoes in tins, they are damaged grade 3 toms. Only buy whole toms as they are grade 2. Grade 1 is usually sold fresh. grade 4 is put into ready meals and some of the "pizza sauces" listed above.....


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,361 ✭✭✭Boskowski


    The watery issue relates to the tomatoes. I can assure you that decent pizza places dont scrimp on the quality of their tomatoes. I have made my own and used cans, and can definitely recommend the cans. Its the perfect consistency and has a great flavour.

    I've been making pizza for probably 5/6 years and constantly change how I make them, just trying to get better. My current secret ingredient is dove hill yeast. its a dried yeast thats not divided into a single 7g packs. Its dynamite compared to the other dried stuff and I find I get a much nicer rise. And its cheap, about €1.80 in Avoca for a bag that will last you a long time. Also if you can get your hands on some burrata, which is mozzarella injected with cream, its really amazing. The cheap 59c balls of mozzarella are grand, but getting fresh buffalo mozzarella (at probably 5 times the price!) is a nice little luxury on (the chefs) pizza.

    Thumbs up on the cans. Do you find that Dove Hill yeast better than fresh yeast even? I tried dried yeast years ago when I couldn't find fresh yeast in the shop but I thought it was terrible.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,361 ✭✭✭Boskowski


    This is the best recipe for pizza topping I have come across. Takes 5 minutes

    Mix together:
    whole tube or small can of tomato puree
    1 clove crushed garlic
    2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
    good handful of dried mixed herbs
    half cup to one cup of water to thin out (depending on preferred consistency)

    Best if you can make it somewhat in advance to let the flavours blend but still nice made and used straightaway.

    Instead of puree and water try a tin of peeled plum tomatoes and blend. Should be more or less the same idea but I reckon its better. Other than that more or less what I do.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24 WeleaseWoger


    Its all down to personal preference in the end - I have tried the canned tomatoes and found the taste is too thin and sharp for me. The puree has a richer flavour I find. Plus its easier to squeeze out with no blending! But whatever form your tomatoes come in, made from scratch is better than anything in a packet. For midweek pizzas, and lunchboxes the next day, I use this sauce on tortillas with grated mozzarella and some chili flakes and its quick, tasty and very moreish.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    I prefer my pizza sauce thicker... Find all the commercial ones too watery for a thin base pizza. Ditto passata.

    Mine is half tomato puree, half pesto.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 24 WeleaseWoger


    must give that a go, what pesto do you use?


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