New York Pizza Sauce (Italian-American)

New York-style pizza has more ingredients than a traditional Neapolitan pizza. Sugar and olive oil are usually added to high-gluten bread flour, yeast, and water to create the dough, which is hand-tossed. Some people say the unique flavour and texture of the crust occurs because of the minerals that are only found in NYC's tap water. Unlike Neapolitan pies, which generally use a simple, uncooked sauce of fresh or canned tomatoes and salt, New York by-the-slice pies use a more heavily-seasoned cooked sauce. The key to great NY-style sauce is the balance between sweetness, acidity, heat, with a definite herbal backbone and a texture that's thin enough enough to spread, but thick enough to keep your pizza from turning soggy during the de rigeur fold-and-carry.

1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried basil
¼-½ tsp. red pepper flakes
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and split in half
1 tsp. sugar

Push tomatoes and their juices through a food mill or pulse in a food processor until pulverized into a chunky purée. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine 2 Tbsp. of butter and 1 Tbsp. of olive oil, until butter is melted. Add 2 cloves of garlic, 1½ tsp. of oregano, 1/8 tsp. of red pepper flakes, and ¼ tsp. salt and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes, onion, and 1 tsp. of sugar. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour. Add more salt if necessary. Remove and discard onion.

Let cool and store unused portion in a container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or pour into zip-top bags and freeze.

Makes 4 servings.