Pizza Margherita

Name: Pizza Margherita
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 cups Bread flour; 1 tsp Active dry yeast; 2 tsp Table salt, divided; 28 oz Canned whole peeled tomatoes, one can, drained and crushed by hand; 16 oz Fresh mozzarella, two balls, torn and drained; 1.3 oz Basil (fresh), one package, leaves; 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

3 hrServes 4$55.53

A risen dough of bread flour, water, yeast, and salt is stretched thin, topped with crushed tomatoes, torn fresh mozzarella, and basil, and baked at the oven's highest heat on a preheated steel or stone. Bread flour is used for a home oven in place of Italian 00 flour, which is not a canonical ingredient.

Ingredients

4 cupsBread flourBuy 1 bag
1 tspActive dry yeastBuy 1 package
2 tspTable saltdividedBuy 1 canister
28 ozCanned whole peeled tomatoesone can, drained and crushed by handBuy 1 can
16 ozFresh mozzarellatwo balls, torn and drainedBuy 2 packages
1.3 ozBasil (fresh)one package, leavesBuy 1 package
3 tbspExtra virgin olive oilfor drizzlingBuy 1 bottle

Method

Mix the flour, yeast, and 1 1/2 tsp salt with 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water into a shaggy dough; knead until smooth, about 8 minutes.
Let the dough rise, covered, until doubled, about 2 hours, then divide it into 4 balls and rest 30 minutes.
Heat the oven with a pizza steel or stone inside to its highest setting for 45 minutes.
Season the crushed tomatoes with the remaining salt.
Stretch each ball into a thin round, spread with a thin layer of tomatoes, add mozzarella, and bake until the crust is charred in spots and the cheese has melted, 6 to 8 minutes.
Top with basil and a drizzle of olive oil.