Still working on developing a no-mato sauce recipe that can fool me
and my wife. I've tried many of the ones online and find the beets give it a cloying sweetness that I don't love; must be my upbringing with a russian grandfather that made us eat borsht--blecchhh!
So, I reached out to Harold McGee, a renowned food scientist and author, who suggested trying
watermelon:
"You might try cooking down fresh red watermelon, which has the same red pigment and develops a similar aroma on cooking (though admittedly with a squash-like overtone from being in that family), maybe in combination with red bell peppers (different pigment but same family as tomato)."
Success! Well, not completely, but I think it's getting closer and closer. Still a little sweet, but pretty darn tasty. The sauteed mushrooms and green onions give it some depth of flavor that works well on the pizza.
Maybe next time try 1 part watermelon to 2 parts red pepper...
Watermelon-Pepper Pizza Sauce
Watermelon:
(2) lbs. watermelon chunks, pureed in processor
(4 lbs w/ rind)
- simmered until thickened, about 90 minutes
- reduced down to 6 oz. (wt.)
Peppers:
(3) mixed bell peppers (red, yellow, orange)
- tossed with oil and roasted at 350° until soft, about 45 min
- placed in bowl with plastic wrap for 15 min to remove skins
- pureed, resulting in about 6 oz. (wt.)
Mixed both purees, then added pizza spices.
For Marinara Pizza Sauce:
- added:
- 1.5 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried basil
- .5 tsp dried oregano
- .25 tsp dried thyme
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 2 TB olive oil
- 1 TB garlic powder
- 1.25 tsp salt
Other ingredients:
(8) oz. mushrooms
(3-6) green onions
Chopped and sauteed in pan until brown, about 7-9 min.
