Pizza with Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 cups canned plum tomatoes, crushed by hand, seeds removed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 2 12 -inch pizza crusts (recipe follows)
- 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 8 basil leaves
- Ceramic pizza stone
- Pizza peel
- 3 1/4 cups unbleached flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 envelope active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Set the pizza stone into a cold oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- In a small sauce pan set over a low flame, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute before adding the tomatoes.
- Season the tomatoes with the salt, pepper and oregano and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Working on a lightly floured surface, pat one of the pizza dough balls into a flat round shape, working from the center outward.
- While forming the shape of a pizza crust, work with the tips of the fingers and form a 1/2-inch thick edge.
- Continue to work outward trying to achieve as even a thickness as possible.
- When the pizza dough is formed into shape transfer the dough to the peel and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the surface.
- Sprinkle half the Parmesan cheese evenly over the oiled pizza dough and spoon 3 tablespoons of sauce over the surface.
- Evenly spread half of the mozzarella over the tomato and finish building your pizza with a few basil leaves roughly torn by hand.
- Place the pizza onto the pizza stone in the oven by sliding the pizza off of the peel and onto the hot stone.
- Repeat the process for the second pizza.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the surface is bubbling and the bottom of the crust is well browned.
- In a bowl, combine the flour and salt, and mix thoroughly.
- In a separate stainless steel bowl, combine the water and yeast, and using a whisk, add 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Let rest for 5 minutes.
- Pour the water into the center of the flour, and with a spatula, stir to combine well into a sticky mass.
- Pour this mass out onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead the dough by working the dough with the heel of the palm of your hand.
- Push outward and pull the inside edge over the top.
- Repeating the process over again to create a smooth ball of dough free of stickiness.
- Place the ball of dough into a clean stainless steel bowl that has been brushed with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Cover with a clean cloth and let rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
- When the dough has risen it can be divided in half and the two pieces formed into two balls which will later be patted into the traditional pizza shape.
- Yield: 2 12-inch pizza crusts
olive oil, clove garlic, tomatoes, salt, oregano, parmesan cheese, mozzarella, basil, stone, peel, flour, salt, water, active dry yeast, olive oil
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pizza-with-tomato-mozzarella-and-basil-recipe.html (may not work)