Pizza Margherita Recipe

How to make it

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• To make the pizza dough:
• 1 ½ cups ‘best-for-bread’ flour
• 1 pkg active dry yeast
• ½ cup warm water
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 whole egg, beaten
• Add the garlic powder to the dough and mix in well.
• The Dough:
• Combine all the dry ingredients
• Combine the yeast mixture with the beaten egg and oil.
• Add slowly to dry ingredients, mixing well, until the dough starts to come away from the bowl.
• Add more flour as needed to make the dough workable
• Gently knead the dough, folding, pressing, and turning, for about 5 minutes.
• This dough does not have to be kneaded to the smooth and blistered stage.
• Butter and flour the pizza pan
• Now, shape the dough into a ball, and gradually flatten out to fit the pizza pan.
• Let the dough sit for about five minutes to dry a little on top, then begin adding ingredients:
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• Assembling pizza:
• If using fresh tomatoes, peel, seed, and chop them. If using canned, chop and drain them.
• Combine the tomatoes and 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan.
• Cook uncovered over moderate heat until the tomatoes are no longer watery.
• Add salt to taste.
• Cool.
• Flatten the dough and roll it out into a circle.
• Drape the dough over the backs of the hands and carefully stretch the circle to a diameter of 12 inches.
• Leave the dough thicker around the rim than in the center.
• 6. Flour baking pan surface so the dough does not stick.
• Lay the circle of dough on it.
• Spread the tomatoes over the dough, leaving the rim uncovered.
• Distribute the basil and the mozzarella cheese over the pizza.
• If using the parmesan, sprinkle it over the pizza.
• Drizzle with remaining olive oil.
• Slide directly onto the hearth of a deck oven preheated to 500°F.
• Bake until the dough is browned and the cheese is melted.
• Remove from the oven and serve after letting the pizza rest five to ten minutes so everything firms up.
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• Variations:
• Pizza Marinara
• Omit the mozzarella cheese and the basil. Increase the tomatoes to 2 lb
• Increase the first quantity of olive oil to 1 1/2 tbsp.
• In step 2, cook the tomatoes with 3 cloves garlic, sliced thin, and 1/2 tsp fresh chopped oregano or 1/4 tsp dried oregano.

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