raw vs cooked tomatoe sauce

[mkevenson]

In Ed Levine's book, Pizza A Slice of Heaven, on page 16 under the heading Sauce, he writes:
"....Pizza sauce should not be slow cooked, it should not taste like pasta sauce or marinara sauce...."

On page 33: under the topic Tomatoe Sauce, he writes, "...Empty the tomato solids in the strainer into the sauce pan.   ...Bring to a snappy simmer, cook for about twenty minutes..."

1st, I don't know what you all think of Ed Levine? 2nd, I don't get the contradiction in the two statements.

Is this just a matter of personal choice or do most of you cook or not cook your tomato sauce for pizza?

Thanks in advance for your consideration of this rookie question.

Mark

[TXCraig1]

It's a matter of personal taste. I never cook my sauce. I like the fresh, lighter taste. Some folks prefer the more intense, concentrated flavor of a cooked sauce. You will find there is also many different thoughts on the seasoning of the sauce. I prefer nothing but a little salt and perhaps some sugar if needed; others may add quite a few different spices.

This is why I love pizza making - no rules.

[Pappy]

When Levine states that "Pizza sauce should not be slow cooked", he is probably referring to the traditional "Sunday gravy"  in which the sauce, usually combined with various meats, is slow cooked for several hours.  

That being said, while I usually use an uncooked, lightly-seasoned sauce on my pizza, I've lately been making pies, with leftover Sunday gravy simmered with sausages, that have been excellent.  

Now, I've made pies in the past with long-simmered sauce that have been pretty bad.  This sauce was made with top-quality Stanislaus tomatoes, was still fairly thin, and was applied very lightly.  That combination, I think, allowed me to get away with it.

Ideally, I think an uncooked sauce is the ticket, but if you don't want to open up a can of tomatoes for one pie, or have some leftovers you need to use up, thinning out the sauce and using just a small amount will do very nicely.

[mkevenson]

tx craig 1 and Pappy, thank you. Both insightful comments.

Mark

[Chicago Bob]

Mark, probably 98% of all pizzas are made with uncooked sauce. But like Craig said....there's no rules. Sure, you'll hear many say not to cook....but in the end it is your taste buds. 
Try it both ways why don't you and let us know what you think...

[Tscarborough]

Depends upon what you mean by "cooked".  Heated to release the essential oils of dried herbs, but not brought above 200 degrees is how I cook some sauces, some are fresh with no heat at all.  Sometimes in the summer when you get really good vine tomatoes you don't even need any salt, just gut and crush them up, maybe throw a little garden basil in there and go.

[Chicago Bob]

  Sometimes in the summer when you get really good vine tomatoes you don't even need any salt, just gut and crush them up, maybe throw a little garden basil in there and go.

+1  Nothing could be finer....

[mkevenson]

Mark, probably 98% of all pizzas are made with uncooked sauce. But like Craig said....there's no rules. Sure, you'll hear many say not to cook....but in the end it is your taste buds. 
Try it both ways why don't you and let us know what you think...

So far,based on recipes I have read or seen, I have been sautéing garlic and onion a bit, adding canned San Marzano tomatoes after squishing by hand, herbs and heat for 10-20 min. The other day I made a white sauce, EVOO with garlic and topped with locally grown fresh tomato slices. I really liked it and will do the San Marzanos uncooked next.
Thanks.
Mark

[Tscarborough]

That sounds delicious.  If it is working for you, expand on it, or keep it the same.  There is no right or wrong, there just is.

[Giggliato]

Some of the best pizza I've had was topped with the 8 hour slow cooked sauce, but I do think a simple tomato and salt solution is generally the way to go.

[TXCraig1]

Talking about sauce as a single quantity is on par with lumping all styles of pizza into one.

I would suspect that most people's preference in sauce is a reflection of their preference for a particular style of pizza. Likewise, just because I prefer a simple, uncooked sauce (a reflection of my preference for NP), doesn't mean that's the sauce I would want on every style of pizza.

When we discuss particular sauces, wouldn't it make sense to put it in context with a note on the particular style(s) of pizza we use that sauce?

[mkevenson]

Talking about sauce as a single quantity is on par with lumping all styles of pizza into one.

I would suspect that most people's preference in sauce is a reflection of their preference for a particular style of pizza. Likewise, just because I prefer a simple, uncooked sauce (a reflection of my preference for NP), doesn't mean that's the sauce I would want on every style of pizza.

When we discuss particular sauces, wouldn't it make sense to put it in context with a note on the particular style(s) of pizza we use that sauce?

Craig, you are WAY MORE advanced than I. I am but a babe in the woods, comparatively. I am looking forward to the day when I am making different styles of pizza and knowing which sauce is complimentary with each.
Point well taken.
Thanks,

Mark

[bfguilford]

The other day I made a white sauce, EVOO with garlic and topped with locally grown fresh tomato slices.

I really like that (on NY style pizza), especially during the summer, when I grow tomatoes and basil (I also put lots of fresh basil on). Try some cherry tomatoes (I have Sungolds and Matt's Wild Cherry growing) if you can find locally grown ones. They are beautifully sweet.

Barry

[moose13]

I like a cooked sauce if i have the time, definitely more tangy. I always do a cooked sauce on a deep dish.
My cooked sauce is 2 cans of whole peeled tomatoes crushed in the pan, salt, oregano and garlic. Cook till most liquid is gone.

Or uncooked, strain canned crushed tomatoes with salt, garlic and oregano.