Margherita Pizza (Gluten Free)

Emily Elizabeth's Note:

A thin crispy crust, drizzled with olive oil, spread with freshly sliced garlic, topped with fresh mozzarella, thinnly sliced tomatoes, and fresh chopped basil leaves. I recommend using my Garlic-Herb Pizza Crust (Gluten Free) which pairs perfectly with these toppings.

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Yield: 1.0 pizza

• pizza crust (Garlic-Herb Pizza Crust (Gluten Free) or your own pizza crust recipe)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
• 4 garlic cloves , thinnly sliced
• 1 lb fresh block mozzarella cheese (maybe a little less)
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 4 -5 vine ripe tomatoes , sliced thin
• 1⁄3; cup fresh basil leaf , chopped
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook pizza crust 10 minutes (or as directed in recipe - until it is mostly cooked).
2. Drizzle cooked crust with a little more than 1 tbsp of the olive oil and use a brush to spread until the entire crust is moistened, adding more olive oil as needed.
3. Spread sliced garlic evenly on top.
4. Top with a single layer of 1/4" thick slices of mozzarella (or a thickness to your liking) and then fill in any gaps in between the slices by sprinkling with the shredded mozzarella.
5. Place thinnly sliced tomatoes on top of cheese in a single layer, spaced close together (they will shrink and spread apart when baked).
6. Sprinkle with roughly chopped basil.
7. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil (about 1/2 tbsp) and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
8. Bake 15 minutes or until tomatoes are crinkly and mozzarella is soft and slightly browned in some areas.