Pizza Margherita

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.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 2 12to15 inch pizzas

Ingredients

• Pizza Dough

• 1 1⁄2 cups water, at 110 degrees
• 3⁄4 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
• 1⁄2 cup tomato paste
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  garlic salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon oregano
• 3⁄4 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.