The single most important aspect of pizza is the tomato sauce. The sauce must be bold. In addition, the amount must be generous and complement the cheese instead of being overwhelmed by it.

Too many pizzerias create multiple cheese layer pizzas only to skimp on tomato sauce. The result is a bland entity solely defined by crust and cheese.

Rigoletto, on Columbus Avenue between 69th and 70th Streets, offers one kind of pie that is especially generous. Bright, flavorful tomato sauce, with spinach mixed in, is placed over (not under) a thin layer of cheese. The result is the perfect dinner for a cold evening.