So you’re growing your own tomatoes in your own garden this year. Bravo.

Be prepared.

Last year, I grew more tomatoes than I knew what to do with. Last year, I abused a lot of tomatoes. As my onslaught of tomatoes arrived, I didn’t exactly know what to do. I didn’t have a plan. I made salsa and Sunday Gravy, and I let more than I’d care to admit rot in the bowl.

You see, I hate raw tomatoes. I love ketchup, roasted tomatoes, salsa, pico de gallo, sundried tomatoes, Sunday Gravy, and all manner of tomato products. But I have no love for the tomato basil salad, the BLT, or the fresh tomato and cottage cheese lunch I see other people eating. I can do without any raw tomato in my garden salad or on my sandwich.

Hence, my rotten tomatoes.

This year, I will not be so shamed.

Aside from using them to make a ton of Sunday Gravy and salsa, I’ll make pizza sauce.

Pizza sauce is different from Sunday Gravy in a couple of important ways, if you ask me. First, I don’t like my pizza sauce to be rustic, or chunky, like I like my gravy. I like it SMOOOTH, like velvet. Second, pizza sauce is generally “weaker” than Sunday Gravy. Third, and most importantly: I. DON’T. COOK. IT.

That’s right. RAW SAUCE. It’s going to get cooked just enough on the pizza in the oven.

Here’s how I go:

Step 1) Pluck a bunch of tomatoes from the vine. Like, maybe 10 good-sized ones. I like to use my big fat romas for this. Give ’em a good washing, and cut the green tops off.

Step 2) Blanche the tomatoes. This is super-easy. Just bring a stock pot of water to a boil, and drop in your tomaters. Leave them for just maybe two minutes, and then use a slotted spoon to pull them out. The skins should slide right off. It’s really satisfying.

Note: By the way, did you know you can freeze blanched fresh tomatoes for later use? That’s right. If you are in a pinch, don’t let your beauties go bad. Blanche them, stick em in a freezer bag, and use them on a rainy day.

Step 3) Here is where a stick blender would come in handy. I still don’t have a stick blender. Or a KitchenAid Mixer. Because I never get anything I want. Wah. Anyway, I crush the heck out of those blanched tomatoes, in my old Cuisinart that is held together with black electrical tape. Not that I’m complaining.

Step 4) Strain the tomato puree. You want to push as much liquid and as many seeds out of there as you possibly can. Wet, watery pizza sauce will do something horrifying to your crust. Now set your puree aside for a minute, and let some more moisture leak out of it while you prepare the rest of the show.

Step 5) Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet, and sautee about half an onion. I really like to use a vidalia or other sweet onion, but I like my pizza sauce a little sweet. If you have fresh red hot peppers in your garden, you could dice up one and throw in a tablespoon or so, and a little fresh minced garlic at the end. That is all I do – peppers, onions, garlic, and all of it should be minced just as fine as you can get it (maybe with your Cuisinart?) before you put it in with the tomato puree. It should be virtually invisible.

Step 6) Put your puree in a bowl with the garlic/onion/pepper mix, and add in kosher salt to taste. At this point I add about a tablespoon of sugar and whatever herbs I plan to use. I like a little bit of oregano and a little basil, again, chopped as fine as I can get them, but don’t overpower your pizza with herb-y sauce. Also, at this point, I grate a little romano or parmesan cheese right into the sauce.

Stir it all up good (or give it another smoothing turn in the food processor), and you’re ready to use it.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, be tempted to put this concoction in a pot and simmer it.

Your pizza will taste fresh and divine just like this. All you need is a little fresh mozzarella and a few sprigs of basil right out of your garden. In fact, presuming you grow a few onions, you could practically do this straight from your home garden. I tried last year to grow garlic, to no avail. I might try again, or, I might just go buy a truckload at Costco.

Now, what you’re going to do for crust is a whole different story, and I have a few suggestions, first being to purchase them from Great Harvest Bread Company. That is a different kind of crust altogether (I love them, but they’re not normal). Otherwise, you’re into a dough making scenario that makes my palms sweat. And I really don’t think it can be properly done without a KitchenAid Mixer. And if you recall, I DON’T HAVE ONE.