Pizza Margherita

sugarpea's Note:

This traditional pizza with sauce, mozzarella and basil is from Nick Stellino and makes two 12"-15" pizzas. The no-cook pizza sauce goes together quickly and the leftovers can be used in another dish.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 16

Yield: 2.0 12to15 ...

Pizza Dough

• 1 ½ cups water , at 110 degrees
• ¾ tablespoon fast rising yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 cups bread flour or 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Pizza Sauce

• 1 cup tomato sauce
• ½ cup tomato paste
• ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
• ¼ teaspoon oregano
• ¾ tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Finish

• 4 ounces bocconcini , cubed (fresh mozzarella)
• 1 cup fresh basil , torn
• 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Pizza Dough: Add yeast and sugar to water, whisk and set aside until foamy.
2. Add yeast mixture and oil to flour; mix and turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead 5 minutes (10 minutes if under stress or worried).
3. Place in oiled bowl, loosely covered with plastic wrap or clean towel; allow to rise in warm place until doubled in size, 45-60 minutes.
4. Divide dough in half and roll out two 12"-15" pizza crusts.
5. Pizza Sauce: Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse 10 times.
6. Finish: Spread 1/2 cup Pizza Sauce on each pizza (reserve the remaining sauce for another use); scatter each with half the cubed boconcini, basil and grated mozzarella; drizzle with half the olive oil and add pepper.
7. Bake topped pizza at 500° for 10-12 minutes.

Reviews

[Fairy Nuff]

Though I didn't use the Margherita topping I have been using your pizza dough and sauce recipe for about 8 weeks (every Friday night). I love both the base and the sauce recipes and have even doubled them and frozen half for the following Friday night pizza!! I think you should consider posting them seperately for those who have their favourite toppings and are just looking for the dough or sauce recipe.