The local favorite NY pizza shop's sauce is what I'm trying to replicate but I can't figure out what to add to get there. I know it's not a lot to go on, but all I can describe is that their sauce has a bit of tanginess to it which makes it stand out.
ManChicken, I'm at a very similar place in my pizza making and the way you stated it above
exactly describes how I'm trying to improve my sauce. I've tried many of the sauce recipes
here and experimented with my own but I can't quite duplicate that tanginess of the local
pizzaria pizza here in NJ. So my first question is, are we talking about the same taste when
comparing your local NY pizza shop to my local NJ pizzaria? I'm talking about the taste of
the typical NJ pizza in my central NJ area. Have you had pizza in NJ? Are we after the
same thing here?
If so, just this past weekend, I had some good success at getting that taste
we are after and it might be more than just the sauce. Here's the recipe that
closely duplicated that NJ Pizzaria pizza taste.
Sauce:
15 ounces Rosa Cannned Pizza Sauce (Found in Acme stores)
1 tablespoon Water
1/4 teaspoons Tarragon Leaves
1/4 teaspoons Marjoram, finely ground
1/4 teaspoons Garlic powder
1/4 teaspoons Red hot pepper flakes, finely ground
2 teaspoons Honey
1.) Begin by heating the sauce in a small pot.
2.) In a small glass bowl, combine the water with 2 tablespoons of sauce and
all the dry spices. Microwave them for about 45 seconds or until the temperature
reaches about 140 to 160 deg F. It's not that critical, but just don't go over 160 Deg F.
3.) Add the hot seasonings and the honey to the sauce and cook over
medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes after the sauce begins bubbling a bit.
4.) Remove from heat and set sauce aside allowing it to cool down.
The toppings:
Also found at Acme stores...
* 16 oz Frigo low moisture Whole milk mozzarella cheese
* 16 oz Frigo low moisture Part Skim mozzarella cheese
* Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Make the pizza:
1.) Shred the two cheeses in equal amounts and mix well.
You only need about 5 to 8 ounces of cheese for a 12" to 13" pizza.
1.) Use your favorite dough recipe and form your disk to 12" to 13".
2.) Brush the dough lightly with olive oil using a bristol brush.
3.) Top with sauce but don't put it on too thick. I estimate
about 5 oz sauce for a 12" to 13" pizza.
4.) Top with grated cheese and then sprinkle generously with
olive oil. Don't soak it but give it a good amount because this
adds flavor and allows the cheese to flow.
5.) Bake as you noramly do for your oven conditions.
FYI: I use a 3/4" thick stone which sits on 4 small tiles on the
floor of my GAS oven which is preheated to 425 Deg F. I insert
the pizza and raise the temp to 475 Deg F and cook for about
12 minutes. I watch carefully during last few minutes and when
I see the cheese bubble up and rise very high I know it's almost
ready. I allow time for the cheese to settle down and bubble a
bit in the sauce to the point where it just begins to brown
and I quickly remove it.
I'd like to hear how this recipe compares to your target NY pizza taste.
---pete---
