The joint I call when I want to order-in a Pizza (for a change from my own) managed to keep me guessing for years about the special blend of Herbs and Spices that makes their Red Sauce an award winner. But now, I think I’ve figured out what sets their succulent pies apart from the crowd…
Quick Universal Red Sauce: With lots of Basil and Olives…
I’ve discussed all aspects of Red Sauce in this space at one time or another. I’ve given you my go-to, all-purpose, lightning-fast Universal Red Sauce, my Deluxe Scratch Red Sauce, and Classic Mediterranean Marina Sauce. But none of those – no matter how complex or simple – ever quite matched the Sauce from San Marino’s. I tried and tried to hack it at home but never quite got there. Until a few days ago when, by sheer accident, I figured it out. I think.
The missing link?
Over the years, I’ve added, subtracted, substituted and juggled the proportions of ingredients until my head hurt, trying to come up with the magic combination. Until just now, the closest I got involved a lot of Basil and smaller amounts of other classic Italian flavours including Oregano and Crushed Red Peppers. But, then, as I kept fiddling, I just got farther away from my goal again.
The one thing I tried that made the most promising difference in my home-made San Marino Sauce was Rosemary. But no matter how much or how little I used, I still couldn’t get the flavour balance right.
Then, a few nights ago, I was cooking up a small batch of my Universal Red Sauce as part of a quick supper and made a mistake. I added the Sugar twice. I thought, “If that’s too cloying, I can balance it off with a little more Salt.” It was too sweet, and too ‘flat’ tasting, so I reached for the Salt… But decided to use another ingredient I had on the counter. I had finely chopped half a dozen Olives to go into my Sauce and the Olive jar was just sitting there, daring me to pick it up. Into the pot I sloshed a couple of tablespoons (30 ml.) of Olive Brine, which not only had plenty of Salt in it but a nice tangy, earthy flavour edge of its own.
Wow!
One taste and I knew I had found the secret formula. And the secret ingredient was Olive Brine! The Olives themselves helped, of course, and I’ve been going through a phase lately where I use a lot of Basil in anything Italian I’m cooking. I also believe that adding a little more than the usual pinch of Sugar is a very good thing.
Now you know the secret…
My formula may not be exactly the one that San Marino’s uses for its Pizza Sauce, but It’s close enough to satisfy my picky palate. Now you know the secret, too. Don’t tell anybody! Just wow everybody with your own homemade Pizza next time the gang is over…
~ Maggie J.