The Overlooked Spice That Subtly Boosts The Flavor Of Homemade Pizza

Pizza naturally embodies a duality unlike almost any other comfort food. On one side of the spectrum, it's an inexpensive, indulgent convenience food piled high with simple ingredients like stretchy cheese and spicy pepperoni, sausage, or mushrooms. At the other end, it's a sophisticated, artisanal experience with an herbed crust covered by garlicky white sauce, pesto, or an elevated tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella combined with ricotta or goat cheese, and toppings like gossamer-thin prosciutto, dried figs, and aged balsamic glaze. 

Whether you're on team takeout, in the sophisticated squad, or fall somewhere in the middle with your favorite homemade pie, odds are you're still looking for layers of big flavor, particularly in the sauce. Lackluster tomato sauce can skew thin and acidic rather than rich and slightly sweet, as it should be. If you're making homemade sauce or doctoring up a store-bought blend and it tastes a little off, one of the many unique ingredients that will elevate the flavor of your pizza sauce is fennel seed.

Most often used to flavor pork sausage, fennel seed has a pungent, licorice-y flavor full of sweet astringency that quickly infuses tomato sauce with beautiful flavor. Even if you hate black licorice, it's worth giving this combo a try, as the acids and sugars from the tomatoes soften and disperse the fennel seeds' harshness, brightening the tomato sauce while simultaneously adding a touch of sweetness without adding any refined sugar. Done correctly, no one flavor stands out, as they balance each other perfectly. 

Since fennel seed has such a strong flavor, a little goes a long way, so it's essential to understand what fennel is and how to use it. A member of the carrot family, fennel is actually a root vegetable pale white in color, with feathery stalks that eventually produce the seeds we harvest and use as a seasoning. However, the whole plant can be used to flavor dishes, so if the fennel seeds offer too strong a flavor, consider adding some minced sautéed root or garnishing with the fronds, instead.

If you decide to stick with the seeds, just a pinch in a whole batch of pizza sauce will do, especially if you don't plan to use it right away. The longer the sauce sits, the more concentrated the fennel flavor will become. To manage the intensity of the flavor when planning ahead, try making your pizza sauce directly in a can of tomatoes, adding whole fennel seeds to the mix, then store it tightly sealed in the fridge. 

When you're ready to use it, buzz everything together with an immersion blender and reduce it in a saucepan over medium heat until it thickens slightly. If you do end up adding too much fennel, don't worry — it's fairly easy to dial back the intensity. The soft, beautiful savoriness of roasted garlic provides excellent camouflage, as do spicy ingredients like dried red pepper flakes, or the freshness of additional basil and oregano.