INGREDIENTS
Pizza dough
2 3/4 to 3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
Assembly
Handful cornmeal
2/3 cup jarred tomato purée or tomato sauce
2 x (3.5 ounces) balls buffalo mozzarella, sliced
1 small bunch basil, leaves removed
Extra virgin olive oil
Hot pepper oil, to finish (optional)
PREPARATION
Pizza dough
In a large bowl, combine 2 3/4 cups flour and salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, add warm water, sugar and yeast. Stir to combine. Let sit until yeast starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Add yeast mixture to flour mixture. Stir or work with your hands until dough starts to form into a ball. Transfer to work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 7 to 8 minutes, adding more flour if dough is sticky.
Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and cover. Store in a warm place until it doubles in volume, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Punch down dough. Cut in 1/2. Roll each piece into a 10-inch round.
Assembly
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. If desired, use a pizza stone and heat according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Sprinkle cornmeal onto 2 pizza pans. Alternatively, if baking pizza on pizza stone, sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel so the pizza easily slides onto heated stone in the oven.
Top pizzas with tomato purée, cheese and basil. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
For best results, bake pizzas one at a time. Cook until crust is golden brown and crisp, and cheese is bubbly, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive or hot pepper oil.
In a large bowl, combine 2 3/4 cups flour and salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, add warm water, sugar and yeast. Stir to combine. Let sit until yeast starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Add yeast mixture to flour mixture. Stir or work with your hands until dough starts to form into a ball. Transfer to work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 7 to 8 minutes, adding more flour if dough is sticky.
Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and cover. Store in a warm place until it doubles in volume, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Punch down dough. Cut in 1/2. Roll each piece into a 10-inch round.
Assembly
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. If desired, use a pizza stone and heat according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Sprinkle cornmeal onto 2 pizza pans. Alternatively, if baking pizza on pizza stone, sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel so the pizza easily slides onto heated stone in the oven.
Top pizzas with tomato purée, cheese and basil. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
For best results, bake pizzas one at a time. Cook until crust is golden brown and crisp, and cheese is bubbly, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive or hot pepper oil.
Yield: Two 10-inch round pizzas.
OR
From the Food Network
Ingredients
Pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
All-purpose flour, for dusting
3 cup Tomato Sauce, recipe follows
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Fresh basil leaves
Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into thin rounds
Cornmeal, for stone
Special equipment: Pizza stone
Basic Tomato Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion, small dice
4 tablespoons minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons red wine
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes
1/2 cup water
Directions
Basic Tomato Sauce:
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add the basil leaves, red wine, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool the sauce before using it to make pizza.
Yield: about 3 cups
Place a pizza stone in the oven. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F, allowing the stone to get hot.
Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface into approximately an 8 to 10-inch round and 1/4-inch thick. Ladle the sauce onto the dough and spread it over top, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edge. Top with the tomatoes, oregano, some basil leaves and mozzarella rounds.
Carefully remove the pizza stone from the oven, and dust with the cornmeal. Place the pizza on top of the stone and pop the whole thing in the oven. Bake until crust is golden and the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.
Cut into wedges and serve immediately.
Ingredients
Pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
All-purpose flour, for dusting
3 cup Tomato Sauce, recipe follows
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Fresh basil leaves
Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into thin rounds
Cornmeal, for stone
Special equipment: Pizza stone
Basic Tomato Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion, small dice
4 tablespoons minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons red wine
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes
1/2 cup water
Directions
Basic Tomato Sauce:
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add the basil leaves, red wine, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool the sauce before using it to make pizza.
Yield: about 3 cups
Place a pizza stone in the oven. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F, allowing the stone to get hot.
Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface into approximately an 8 to 10-inch round and 1/4-inch thick. Ladle the sauce onto the dough and spread it over top, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edge. Top with the tomatoes, oregano, some basil leaves and mozzarella rounds.
Carefully remove the pizza stone from the oven, and dust with the cornmeal. Place the pizza on top of the stone and pop the whole thing in the oven. Bake until crust is golden and the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.
Cut into wedges and serve immediately.
