The fruity, tangy base for your homemade pizza

Which tomatoes make the best Italian pizza sauce?
For traditional Neapolitan pizza, whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes from a tin are the classic choice. Grown in volcanic soil near Mount Vesuvius, they are known for their rich aroma, gentle sweetness and balanced acidity. For quicker everyday cooking, high-quality polpa, made from finely chopped tomatoes in their own juice, or smooth passata, also make an excellent fruity base.

Should pizza sauce be cooked first?
Italian pizza makers would say no. A proper pizza sauce is used raw, not pre-cooked. Cooking it beforehand can take away its fresh, fruity character and make it taste more like a rich pasta sauce. Instead, the tomatoes are simply crushed with a fork or blended briefly, seasoned lightly if desired and spread straight onto the pizza dough. The sauce then cooks and concentrates naturally in the intense heat of the pizza oven.

How should pizza sauce be seasoned, and what does tomato purée add?
A good Italian base needs very little. Fine sea salt and a few fresh basil leaves are often enough. For a classic touch, add a little dried oregano or a small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Concentrated tomato purée is useful if the sauce is too thin or if a deeper, more savoury umami note is desired. Simply stir one or two teaspoons into the passata or polpa.

How much sauce goes on a pizza, and how to spread it?
Too much sauce can make the dough soggy and cause the toppings to slide during baking. As a rough guide, one large ladleful, around 70-80 g, is enough for a standard pizza. Place the tomato sauce in the centre of the rolled-out pizza base and use the back of a spoon to spread it outwards in a spiral motion. Leave a border of approx. 1-2 cm so the crust can rise, crisp up and stay beautifully airy in the oven.