1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 t. salt (start with 1/2 t. and then adjust)
1/4 t. coarsely ground black pepper
1 t. dried basil (optional) or 2 T. minced fresh basil
1 t. dried oregano (optional) or 1 T. minced fresh oregano
1 T. granulated garlic powder (sandy, not the fine powder) or 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced or crushed
2 T. red wine vinegar or lemon juice or a combination of both
Stir all the ingredients together, adding the salt gradually, to taste. The basil and oregano are optional. I use both, but in an authentic Napoletana marinara pizza you would use only oregano in the sauce. The flavors of the herbs and garlic will intensify when the pizza is baked so resist the urge to increase the amount (you can increase the amount of either if not using both but do not use more than 2 teaspoons total of the dried herbs or 3 T. total of the fresh herbs). This sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator.
Source: Peter Reinhart, "American Pie"
Prepared by: Lena for the July 2004 meeting