Margherita Pizza
This Margherita Pizza is the perfect way to treat yourself or your loved ones to something special. Crispy, cheesy, and irresistibly delicious, it’s sure to become a favorite in your home.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- With 1 lb. Dough for pizza store-bought or homemade*
- 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of minced garlic 2 cloves
- 1 2/3 cups of canned tomatoes and juices, finely hand-crushed
- 2 pincers of salt
- 8 of an oz. Chopped into 3/4-inch cubes fresh mozzarella
- 1/4 cup Small basil leaves or chopped basil ribbons
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 550°F and place a pizza stone inside. Let it heat for at least 45-60 minutes.
- While the stone heats, warm olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for about 20 seconds, until lightly golden.
- Add tomatoes, season with salt, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens and reduces to about 1 cup, which should take 15-20 minutes.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions. Note that you can only bake one pizza at a time.
- Shape each dough portion into a 13-inch oval, working with one piece of dough at a time.
- Transfer the shaped dough to a well-floured pizza peel. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella over the dough, then spread about 1/2 cup of sauce on top.
- Carefully slide the pizza from the peel onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake for 4-7 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Once baked, sprinkle fresh basil on the pizzas, slice, and serve immediately while warm.
- If using store-bought dough, let it come to room temperature before shaping.
Notes
- Most recipes use canned tomatoes directly, but you may like to simmer and reduce them to concentrate the flavor and avoid a soggy crust. Adding extra virgin olive oil and garlic to the sauce, while not always common, really boosts the flavor and makes a noticeable difference.