Marcella Hazan’s Tomato sauce with butter and onion & Pizza Dough

Marcella Hazan’s Tomato sauce with butter and onion

I am not impressed easily. And if you know me, you know it’s true. I have seen this recipe in a number of blogs. Racheleats is one. Rachel is in Rome. Rome for God sake! I want to eat in Rome. I don't even want to cook in Rome, just eat. She is cooking in Rome and she uses this recipe. But it was reading smittenkitten that made me laugh. Ok I’ll try it. But I will make pizza dough so if it sucks it won’t be a loss.




So I threw it all in the pot, left it on a low enough heat that I could jump in the shower and then came back to this velvet amazement! You really don’t need all that basil and garlic. Not this one time. Save it for another recipe. And I must beg you to get San Marzano tomatoes. You can tell the difference when you open the can. They smell different. Sweeter. They do take salt different.



Marcella Hazan’s Tomato sauce with butter and onion
1 28 oz can San Marzano Tomatoes (whole if you can find but I only had crushed)
1 med onion peeled and halved
5 TB butter

Simmer 45 minutes


Now another blog I am obsessed with is In Praise of Leftovers and maybe it’s because her husband is a firefighter too (in another state altogether) or it’s just because I like her recipes. She makes pizza a lot..no I mean a lot! I make pizza a lot but not from scratch. I can look up to some one that makes it from scratch! I’m gonna make it from scratch tonight. Good Lord help me! I have a bread maker, some where. I used to use it all the time. The Fireman teases me about neglecting my bread maker.

But I am making In Praise of Leftover’s pizza dough which I think is from November 2009 Gourmet magazine (must obey all copyright laws)




Best Pizza Dough
3 3/4 c. bread flour (or all-purpose)
2 1/2 Tb. fast-acting yeast (2 packets)
3/4 ts. salt
1 ts. sugar
1 1/3 c. room temperature (about 72 degrees) water
olive oil for the pans and stretched dough
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Add the water and, using a wooden spoon, mix until blended, about a minute. The dough might be a bit stiffer than other pizza dough’s you’ve made. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for about 2 minutes, until it’s smooth. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature until the dough has doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 500. Oil one 13×18 baking sheet and one half that size. Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to scrape 2/3 the dough onto an oiled pan in one piece. Starting at one end, gently pull and stretch dough across the surface of the pan, and use your hands to press it evenly out to the edges. If the dough sticks to your fingers, lightly dust it with flour or coat your hands with oil. Pinch any holes together. Repeat with the second smaller piece.


Where I deviated from the recipe;
I did not turn the dough onto a floured surface. I kneaded the dough first in the bowl until it came together and then on the counter top remembering a famous French Chef that stated that the extra flour makes the dough tough. No extra flour was necessary. Even The Tortured Teenager was amazed and questioned me when I started on an un-floured surface.
Next, I placed the dough into a greased bowl and covered it with a towel to double.

Tonight’s Pizza has caramelized onion, mozzarella cheese, roasted garlic, Artichoke hearts and Parmesan cheese on it…oh and of course…that amazing sauce we made earlier.

The kids had sauce with cheese. I skimped on cheese and I should have used more. The crust was amazing. Almost like a puff pastry. Light and airy. I’m impressed and again that doesn’t happen very easily.