Some days, I’m like, man, I want some pizza. (Ok. Most days).

 

 

On those days, if you’re like me, you’re torn between actually ordering a pizza (read: spending money that you could spend on shoes save) and making your own. Is it worth it to make the crust? Because crust takes time. Do you have enough cheese? Not if you eat half of it before it makes it to the pizza. Do you have any pizza sauce? No? …Crap.

 

 

SO. In the interest of homemade pizza and shoe shopping penny pinching, I devoted some time over the last year to finding shortcuts that would get me to a hot pizza faster. And now, I’m going to share those shortcuts with you! Today, a 25-minute pizza sauce. Tomorrow, I’m posting a fifteen minute pizza CRUST. If you make the crust while this sauce simmers, you’ll have a hot, homemade pizza in less time than it takes to wait for the delivery guy.

 

 

 

Quick and Easy Pizza Sauce

Makes 2 cups

 

1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped yellow onion (about 1/4 of a medium onion)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried lemon peel
pinch of nutmeg (about 1/16 of a tsp)
a bay leaf

 

1. Heat olive oil in a medium sized sauce pan. Add garlic, onion, salt and pepper and saute until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.

2. Pour tomato sauce into saucepan. Add oregano, basil, lemon peel, nutmeg, and the bay leaf. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated.

3. Cover the saucepan and simmer sauce for 25 minutes so the flavors can meld. Use immediately or keep in the fridge for up to a week.