How To Make The Perfect Pizza Sauce, According To Chris Bianco - Exclusive

Even before being featured on the first episode of "Chef's Table: Pizza," Chris Bianco had made a name for himself as a major force in the world of pizza. Through his use of high-quality and locally sourced ingredients and his innate talent to find exactly what a dish needs, Bianco made Phoenix, Arizona, a hotspot for pizza. Since then, Bianco has expanded to Los Angeles, opening up a Pizzeria Bianco in downtown LA. During an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, Bianco discussed everything from top-notch tips to his more personal experience of becoming the chef that he is today. 

"I'm never more comfortable than when I'm cooking and responding to things, not really thinking about business or work, just seeing something beautiful and recognizing it and trying not to screw it up, and then sharing it with others," he shared. "I do every project or every breath like it's my last one."

During his interview with Tasting Table, Chris Bianco made it a point to emphasize that there are no true secrets to making the perfect pie. In fact, he explained that the entire process requires harmony, intuition, and experimentation. "I have the secret sauce tips ... but there's definitely no secrets. That's the thing. You start with good things and you try not to screw them up," Bianco explained. "Look at it this way — cooking's a little bit like Jenga. Sometimes the most important ingredient is what you leave out. Maybe rethink what you feel something needs. Does a pizza need red sauce or green sauce or whatever sauce?"

He also shared that understanding the end goal of a pizza is a must before trying to attain it, encouraging the idea that each combination is unique and requires something different. "If you had some roasted broccoli rabe and sausage and garlic, maybe it needs a little scrape of lemon. You think about the cheese, or maybe even omit the cheese," Bianco said. "That's really the secret to pizza — understanding what it needs more than what you want to give it."

While white pizzas have become quite popular, there is no denying that red sauce is one of the most classic and beloved bases for a solid pizza. Chris Bianco provided us with some inside info on how to make the perfect red sauce, specifically for a classic margherita pizza. Unsurprisingly, it aligns with his focus on letting quality ingredients shine and not adding more than absolutely necessary.

"I don't cook the sauce for a margherita, for instance. We use whole peeled organic tomatoes, our own brand. We hand crush them," he explained. "We add a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, a little bruise of fresh basil leaves, and maybe the salt. Our tomatoes have a little bit of sea salt in them — possibly a turn of black pepper, and that's it. Leave that to sit for maybe 30 minutes before using, so that basil and the olive oil have a chance to activate the tomatoes that were already in balance and delicious. Then it'll continue to reduce or cook on the pizza itself."

All episodes of "Chef's Table: Pizza" are now available to watch on Netflix.