Dad’s Ultimate Pizza Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large bay leaf

Directions

Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, celery, and garlic in the butter mixture until the onion is soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir tomato sauce and tomato paste into the onion mixture until smooth; add Parmesan cheese, fennel seeds, basil, oregano, salt, sugar, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir the sauce and bring to a slow simmer; cook at a slow simmer for 1 hour. Remove and discard bay leaf before use.