An homage to the famous Marcella Hazan tomato sauce, this iteration has you switch the order: First, the butter is melted, so it can then bloom a heaping tablespoon or two of chile flakes to bring out their fruity heat. Any kind works, but what this recipe can teach you is how to mix and match between different chile powders to find exactly the flavor you’re craving in any given moment. Because at the end of the day, chiles have so much flavor, so much nuance, beyond just their spiciness. Use this all-purpose red sauce for pizza, pasta, sandwiches and everything in between.

Spicy Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 to 2 tablespoons red chile powder or flakes (any mix of gochugaru, togarashi, Aleppo pepper, Espelette pepper and red-pepper flakes, plus 1 teaspoon smoked paprika)
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, crushed with your hands
• 1 large red or yellow onion, quartered lengthwise and peeled
• 1 (2-inch square) Parmesan rind
• Salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Directions:
In a large saucepan over medium, melt the butter, then add the chile powder and stir until fragrant, just a few seconds (be careful not to burn the chiles). Add the tomatoes, along with 1/2 cup water swished around the can to catch any clinging sauce. Stir in the onion, Parmesan rind, 1 teaspoon salt and the sugar, if using.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and jammy, about 45 minutes. Discard or eat the onion. Discard the rind. Taste and add more salt or sugar as needed.

Use right away or store in a tightly sealed container. The sauce should keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator (and is even easier to cook with when cold).

Total time: 1 hour, largely unattended, makes about 1 quart.

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