Here are some tomato sauce basics. First and most important for pizza sauce is that you do not want the temperature to go over 200 degrees. Above that, the tomato flavor begins to break down, so you should always use a low to medium heat.

You should always begin cooking with no more than half the anticipated amounts of salt and sugar. These are the 2 ingredients you use to bring the sauce into balance as it cooks.

What tomato product you use for the base does not matter a great deal. You can use fresh tomatoes (gut and rinse to remove jelly and seeds), canned whole, canned sauce, or even paste, they will all work fine and only effect the amount of cook time to get the proper consistancy.

Here is the list of things I always put in the sauce, along with very approximate amounts:
1-28oz can of tomato sauce.
2-4 tbsp sugar (I use un-processed brown sugar).
1-2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp coarse black pepper.
2 cloves, crushed.
10 shredded leaves of Basil, fresh or about 1 tbsp of dried.
Dash of dried Oregano.

Here are some variations I have made over the last year:

The basic ingredients listed above.



Added 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.



Added 1 tbsp paprika.



Added 1 tbsp onion powder, pinch of red pepper, and 2 tbsp paprika.



As always, it leads to Pizza!