Remember that pizza or focaccia is simply dough with something on it, so feel free to experiment with flavorful toppings. Because focaccia is thicker than pizza it often takes longer to bake, so some toppings are better left off until the final few minutes of baking, especially dry cheeses such as parmesan (focaccia baked in round cake pans perform more like pizzas, so they can be fully topped prior to going into the oven). S ome ingredients, like fresh pesto or aioli, are even better when added after the pizza or focaccia has finished baking. Most commercial pizza sauces work fine, but if you enjoy making your own, which is quite easy and highly recommended, remember that canned tomato products do not need to be heated up or cooked since they will be cooked on the pizza or focaccia. H ere are my favorite sauce and herb oil recipes.

　　

Ingredients

Crushed Tomato Sauce

1 can (28 oz / 794 g) crushed tomatoes

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil (optional)

　　1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano (optional)

　　1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder, or 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced or pressed

　　2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice, or a combination

　　1 teaspoon salt, to taste

　　(makes 4 cups)

　　

Herb Oil

2 cups olive oil

　　2 tablespoons dried basil

　　2 tablespoons dried parsley

　　1 tablespoon dried oregano

　　1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

　　1 teaspoon dried thyme

　　2 tablespoons granulated garlic powder, or 10 cloves fresh garlic, pressed and lightly sautéed in 1/2 cup of the olive oil

　　1 tablespoon kosher salt or coarse sea salt

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1 teaspoon chile flakes (optional)

　　1 teaspoon sweet or hot paprika (optional)

　　(makes about 2 cups)

　　

Spicy Oil

1 cup olive oil

　　4 teaspoons sweet or hot paprika

　　4 teaspoons chile flakes

　　1 large clove garlic, peeled

　　1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

　　(makes 1 cup)

　　

Crushed Tomato Sauce

Step 1

In a bowl, stir together all the ingredients, starting with 1/2 teaspoon salt and adding more to taste. S tore in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

　　

Herb Oil

Step 2

In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours before using.

　　

Spicy Oil

Step 3

In a saucepan, combine the olive oil, paprika, chile flakes, and garlic and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 30 minutes. S train the oil into a jar, add the salt, and let cool completely. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

　　"Reprinted with permission from Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day: Fast and Easy Recipes for World-Class Breads by Peter Reinhart, copyright © 2009. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc." Photo credit: Leo Gong © 2009Peter Reinhart is a baking instructor and faculty member at Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was the cofounder of Brother Juniper's Bakery in Santa Rosa, California, and is the author of seven books on bread baking, including Crust and Crumb, the 2002 James Beard Cookbook of the Year and IACP Cookbook of the Year, The Bread Baker's Apprentice, and the 2008 James Beard Award-winning Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads.