Need help with pizza sauce! pretty please 🍕

[hammettjr]

Jonas/All, what's the thinking on doing MAE using olive oil? November indicated to use water (link below for folks that havent seen it). Rather than water, I'd consider using a spoon of thin tomato.

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=3735.msg31879#msg31879

[jsaras]

Jonas/All, what's the thinking on doing MAE using olive oil? November indicated to use water (link below for folks that havent seen it). Rather than water, I'd consider using a spoon of thin tomato.

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=3735.msg31879#msg31879

Oil is a far superior medium for MAE IMO

[HansB]

Don't think so. I have a cheap one.

At 40% you are not using 40% power, it's on full power 40% of the time. If you use an inverter microwave it actually uses reduced power.

[hammettjr]

At 40% you are not using 40% power, it's on full power 40% of the time. If you use an inverter microwave it actually uses reduced power.

Interesting! Would that necessarily be a problem? I'm just starting to learn about this, but it seems one goal is to keep the herbs under a certain temp, which cycling on/off at full power still can do?

I'm also not clear on the drawbacks of "overcooking" the herbs during this process.

In any event, I'm going to try to do everything exactly the same as my last bake. I want to experience it again before any new experiments.

[HansB]

Interesting! Would that necessarily be a problem? I'm just starting to learn about this, but it seems one goal is to keep the herbs under a certain temp, which cycling on/off at full power still can do?

I'm also not clear on the drawbacks of "overcooking" the herbs during this process.

In any event, I'm going to try to do everything exactly the same as my last bake. I want to experience it again before any new experiments.

I think as long as it does not get too hot it would be fine.

[hammettjr]

This is my "house sauce":

28 oz can crushed tomatoes (Wal Mart, Kroger or Smart & Final brand,
Code on the can is 5TPCG OL)
¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
½ tsp salt
1-2 tsp oregano
1-2 TB of olive oil
1/2 clove garlic or ½ Dorot frozen garlic cube or ¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp ground fennel (optional, but very recommended)
1/8 tsp (dash) crushed red pepper (optional, adds a zesty element)
½ Dorot frozen basil cube (optional)


Add salt and black pepper directly to the canned tomatoes.

Put the olive oil and all the spices into a small microwave safe container such as a ramekin or a coffee cup.  Ensure that all the spices are wet from being covered in olive oil.  Microwave the mixture for two minutes at 30% power. This is called "microwave extraction".  This technique gives you the same effect of cooking the sauce, without the negative effects of cooking canned tomatoes.  The herbs and spices get infused into the oil, so you get the benefits of cooking the sauce without cooking the tomatoes.

Pour the oil/spice mix into a container with the tomatoes.  Close the container and shake the heck out of it.  It is ready to serve immediately,  but it is better if refrigerated overnight.  Note that pizza sauce should be applied to a pizza when it has reached room temperature.

I recently made a simpler variation of this with just the garlic, oregano (both in oil) and a full teaspoon of salt.  It was excellent IMO.

Hi again Jonas, I have a few more questions. Interested in anyone else's thoughts on this too.

1) Do you allow the oil/herb mixture to cool before adding it to the tomato? November recommended it to cool, but I'm not sure exactly what I did last week. I suspect it was still warm, which I'm not totally convinced is a bad thing.

2) I assume that "shake the heck out of it" after adding it to the tomato is superior to mixing with a spoon, fork, whisk?

3) If you were to use it after 4 hours, would you leave it at room temp the entire time, or put it the fridge a couple hours, then back to room temp to warm up? My real question is whether the cooler temp helps with the mingling of flavors.

4) You said it's best after being in the fridge overnight. Have you ever tried just putting the oil/herb mixture in the fridge after MAE? Or is it necessary that it mingles with the tomato during that period to get the flavor boost?

Many thanks!

[jsaras]

I let it cool briefly.  I keep my sauce in Pyrex container with a locking lid.  Shaking it is just a conveniece.  I no longer refrigerate any of my sauces ahead of time, but they sit for at least 30 minutes at RT before use. 

[hammettjr]

Thanks. Any noticeable loss of flavor by not refrigerating overnight? That's something on my list to experiment with, but I'm not thrilled with the idea of making the sauce a day in advance. Though for some reason I suspect many pizzerias make their sauce at night for the next day, but I dont remember where I got that impression from (and it may not add to the flavor or outweigh the extra day of ageing of the tomato).

[jsaras]

I don't think there's any appreciable loss of flavor.  The oil does its job of as a flavor delivery vehicle reasonably quickly. 

[vincentoc13]

This is my "house sauce":

28 oz can crushed tomatoes (Wal Mart, Kroger or Smart & Final brand,
Code on the can is 5TPCG OL)
¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
½ tsp salt
1-2 tsp oregano
1-2 TB of olive oil
1/2 clove garlic or ½ Dorot frozen garlic cube or ¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp ground fennel (optional, but very recommended)
1/8 tsp (dash) crushed red pepper (optional, adds a zesty element)
½ Dorot frozen basil cube (optional)


Add salt and black pepper directly to the canned tomatoes.

Put the olive oil and all the spices into a small microwave safe container such as a ramekin or a coffee cup.  Ensure that all the spices are wet from being covered in olive oil.  Microwave the mixture for two minutes at 30% power. This is called "microwave extraction".  This technique gives you the same effect of cooking the sauce, without the negative effects of cooking canned tomatoes.  The herbs and spices get infused into the oil, so you get the benefits of cooking the sauce without cooking the tomatoes.

Pour the oil/spice mix into a container with the tomatoes.  Close the container and shake the heck out of it.  It is ready to serve immediately,  but it is better if refrigerated overnight.  Note that pizza sauce should be applied to a pizza when it has reached room temperature.

I recently made a simpler variation of this with just the garlic, oregano (both in oil) and a full teaspoon of salt.  It was excellent IMO.

Hi, I made the sauce this past weekend, it was fantastic, everyone could not believe how good it tasted.  Didn't have any basil and only added 1/2 the amount of fennel, I'm not a huge fan of fennel, but I wanted try it, so glad I added some of it.  I'm gonna try just the garlic and oregano next, thanks for the recipe, its now part of my arsenal!!

[RHawthorne]

To whom it may concern- sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but what does MAE stand for? That's a new one to me.

[jsaras]

To whom it may concern- sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but what does MAE stand for? That's a new one to me.

Microwave assisted extraction

[Pete-zza]

To whom it may concern- sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but what does MAE stand for? That's a new one to me.

RHawthorne,

Jonas gave you the correct answer but for future cases you might check out this list:

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=20056.msg196875#msg196875

Peter

[RHawthorne]

Microwave assisted extraction

Thank you. I had guessed at what the M and E stood for, but I wasn't sure about the A. This whole MAE thing is something I hadn't even heard of before last night. Interesting idea. I don't usually use any oil in my pizza sauce, and I keep my seasonings really minimal (usually just sea salt, oregano, and crushed garlic), but I just might give this a try soon.

[RHawthorne]

RHawthorne,

Jonas gave you the correct answer but for future cases you might check out this list:

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=20056.msg196875#msg196875

Peter

I was aware of the glossary, but I didn't even think to look there. Thanks.

[Pete-zza]

I was aware of the glossary, but I didn't even think to look there. Thanks.

Members should feel free to let me know if there are abbreviations that they feel should be in the listing I prepared. I often look for new additions in members' posts and add them if I think that will help. It will also help if members using a new abbreviation spell out what it stands for (e.g., in parentheses). There have been times where I had to do a Google or similar search to find the answers. In some cases, I could not find the answer.

Peter

[foreplease]

There have been times where I had to do a Google or similar search to find the answers. In some cases, I could not find the answer.

Peter

That's just people trying to get one over on you, Peter.    They think you won't sleep until you figure it out.


My Dad and I used to have a friend who was a brilliant CPA (deceased now). We would go for a donut and coffee, or lunch, a couple times a week. When it was time to make change or split a check, we would fast talk him and leave him with the wrong amount. Instead of swindling him, we would see to it that he got an extra $5. It really bothered him. Sometimes he would question it hours later.

[foreplease]

Thank you. I had guessed at what the M and E stood for, but I wasn't sure about the A. This whole MAE thing is something I hadn't even heard of before last night. Interesting idea. I don't usually use any oil in my pizza sauce, and I keep my seasonings really minimal (usually just sea salt, oregano, and crushed garlic), but I just might give this a try soon.

I was unable to figure out the 'A' too and I have read it a dozen times or more over the years.

[PizzaEater101]

I didn't read what people suggested BUT about 10 years ago I started a discussion on Pizzeria Luigi in San Diego (CA) that turned out to be a very popular tread.  It was about reverse engineering their pizza. 

Mike Essen did a fine job of doing so and then Peter converted it for 28 Oz can of tomato crushed.  If Pete doesn't mind I am posting a quote of his.

Peter writes -

"With the above as background, here is the seasoning mix I came up with. If you need help converting weights to volumes for a sauce batch based on a 28-ounce can of tomatoes, let me know.  I have shown the weights of ingredients for a sauce batch using a 28-ounce can of tomatoes in parenthesis. If the seasoning mix works out, it should then be possible to come up with a baker's percent format.

Red pepper flakes: 3 grams (a pinch or two between the thumb and forefinger)
*Greek oregano leaves: 8 grams (0.4 grams)
Salt: 11 grams (0.55 grams)
*Black pepper: 3 grams (0.15 grams)
*Garlic powder: 30 grams (1.5 grams)
**Grated Parmesan cheese: 58 grams (2.9 grams)
*Fresh, chopped basil: 7 grams (0.35 grams)
Total seasoning mix weight = 120 grams (9 grams)
* denotes that the ingredients are in small bowls of same size
** denotes that the bowl seems larger than the other bowls"

Taste great.

Link to discussion -

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=14928.0

[jsaras]

That seems like a LOT of salt.  I use 4-5 grams for a 28 ounce can. With all that parm you'd think you could skip the salt altogether.