Next Level Margherita Pizza Recipes

PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Make the dough: Fill a small bowl with hot tap water. Let the bowl sit 2 minutes, then dump the water. In the warmed bowl, combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, the sugar and 1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F). Let stand about 5 minutes. (The mixture will be creamy and slightly bubbly; if it isn't, start over with fresh new yeast.)
• In a large bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups flour and 2 teaspoons salt. Make a well in the center and stir in the yeast mixture, olive oil and 3/4 cup warm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F) with a wooden spoon. Mix until the dough starts to come away from the side of the bowl (it will be sticky). Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead with floured hands until soft and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball.
• Brush another large bowl with olive oil. Add the dough and roll to coat with the oil. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, put a pizza stone on the lowest oven rack and preheat to 500 degrees F. Let the stone preheat, about 1 hour.
• Make the sauce: Combine the olive oil, oregano, minced basil, tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan and cook over medium heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Season with pepper to taste.
• Transfer the dough to a floured surface and cut in half. Form each half into a disk and roll out into a 10-inch circle with a lightly floured rolling pin. (I like my pizza paper-thin!) Pinch around the edge to form a crust.
• Sprinkle a pizza peel with cornmeal and carefully slide one round of dough onto the peel. Jerk the peel in a back-and-forth motion once or twice to make sure the dough does not stick. (If the dough is sticking, add extra cornmeal.) Drizzle the dough with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and top with half of the sauce, leaving a small border.
• Transfer the dough to the hot stone in the oven, using a jerking motion to slide the dough off the peel. Bake 5 minutes. Using the peel, rotate the pizza for even browning and top with half of the mozzarella. Bake until the cheese melts and the crust is golden brown and crisp, 3 to 5 more minutes. Remove from the oven using the peel, transfer to a cutting board and scatter half of the basil on top. Repeat to make the second pizza.

THE MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• For the dough: Add flour, yeast and 4.05 ounces water to a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on lowest speed for 2 minutes. Add salt and mix for another 2 minutes. Add olive oil and mix for another 11 minutes.
• Cover with plastic in a bowl greased with olive oil and put in refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Form dough into a tight even ball. Place on a tray or plate and cover with plastic wrap. Return to refrigerator for 8 hours.
• Bring dough to room temperature for 4 hours, still covered. Return to the fridge again for another 8 hours or up to overnight. Bring to room temperature for 2 hours. The dough is now ready to use. (It should be soft to the touch and give easily.)
• For the pizza: Preheat oven to 550 degrees F.
• Stretch and toss dough to appropriate size (approximately 18 inches in diameter), making sure to keep dough even on the bottom (avoid spots that are too thin) and place on a baking stone.
• Distribute the oil in a spiral. Evenly disperse garlic on top. Shake on Romano cheese evenly. Distribute provolone evenly. Squeeze water out of tomatoes, then distribute on pizza. Place fresh mozzarella on pizza. Lightly salt with table salt.
• Bake directly on stone, rotating occasionally throughout cooking process, about 12 minutes total.
• Sprinkle pizza lightly with kosher salt.
• Cut into 8 slices and garnish with fresh basil.