Pizza with tomato, mozzarella and basil
4 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | tablespoons | Olive oil |
| 1 | Clove garlic, finely | |
| Chopped | ||
| 2 | cups | Canned plum tomatoes, |
| Crushed by hand, seeds | ||
| Removed | ||
| ½ | teaspoon | Salt and pepper |
| 1 | teaspoon | Dry oregano |
| 2 | 12-inch pizza crusts | |
| 4 | tablespoons | Grated Parmesan cheese |
| ½ | pounds | Fresh mozzarella, thinly |
| Sliced | ||
| 8 | Basil leaves | |
| Ceramic pizza stone | ||
| Pizza peel | ||
Directions
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 ½-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.
Yield: 2 pizzas
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