Let’s Get Saucy: Garlic White Pizza Sauce

Pizza is awesome. Go ahead, try and tell me I’m wrong. Warm crust, cheese, tangy delicious tomato sauce, and a perfectly matched group of toppings. It’s also an incredibly easy and gratifying meal to make yourself. Tomato based pizzas are particularly simple, all you need is a can opener and an 8oz can of garlic-basil tomato sauce. If you are craving something different, like a white pizza, things get a bit more difficult. Until now.

As part of the “Let’s Get Saucy” series, try this recipe for garlic white pizza sauce and immediately expand your home pizza options. Because the sauce is so simple in its composition – its really just an slightly thicker béchamel with garlic and red pepper – it is vital that you pay attention when making your roux. If you don’t cook it long enough your sauce will have a starchy floury taste. If you cook it too long and let it brown not only will your pizza sauce have a burned or charred taste, but it will have a brown color to it. Cook the roux at low or medium-low heat and don’t take your eyes off of it.

The recipe makes enough for about 3 pizzas, so freeze the leftovers if you are only making one Italian pie.

White Garlic Pizza Sauce

2-3 heads of garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, more to taste
1.5 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste

1)      Peel garlic cloves and heat a dry pan over medium heat. Place peeled cloves in pan and roast, turning frequently to avoid burning. Garlic is done when it is soft (although not as soft as oven roasted garlic) and fragrant. Set garlic aside.

2)      Add oil and red pepper flakes to pan, heat for about 15-30 seconds over low heat.

 Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir constantly and do not let flour mixture brown or color.

3)      Add milk a little and a time, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.

Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture is about the thickness of a canned alfredo sauce.

4)      Place cooked garlic cloves and béchamel sauce in a blender and purée until smooth.

5)      Gather your favorite toppings and pizza dough (or use the recipe at the bottom of this post) to make a fabulous pizza. Spread about a quarter cup to a third a cup of the sauce over a 14-inch pizza

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