Margherita Pizza

INGREDIENTS - DOUGH

cups (300 g) unbleached ap flour – 1 teaspoon granulated sugar – ½ teaspoon active dry yeast or SAF instant yeast¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt – 7 ounces (105°F to 115°F) warm water – 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil – semolina and all-purpose flour for dusting the pizza peel

INGREDIENTS - TOPPINGS

2-3 tablespoons finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese plus more for serving7 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese (not packed in water) cut into ½-inch cubes5-6 large fresh basil leaves plus more for garnishing – dried red pepper flakes optional

2

Scrape the dough onto a well-floured counter top and knead the dough for three minutes. Lightly grease a large mixing bowl with olive oil, and place the dough into the bowl.

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Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel (or plastic wrap) and allow the dough to rise in a warm, dry area of your kitchen for 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

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4

Preheat Oven and Pizza Steel or Stone: Place the pizza steel (or stone) on the second to top rack of your oven (roughly 8 inches from the broiler element), and preheat the oven and steel (or stone) to 550°F (285°C) for a minimum of 1 hour.

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5

– Separate the dough into two equal-sized portions. It will deflate slightly, but that is OK. Place the dough on a large plate or floured counter top, cover gently with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

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Sprinkle the pizza peel (if you do not own a pizza peel, you can try using the back of a half sheet pan - but it is tricky!) with a tablespoon of semolina and dusting of all-purpose flour. Gently use both hands to stretch one ball of pizza dough into roughly a 10-inch circle (don’t worry if its not perfectly uniform).

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7

Use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly and thinly. Sprinkle a tablespoon of parmigiano-reggiano cheese onto the pizza sauce. Add half of the cubed mozzarella, distributing it evenly over the entire pizza. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and caramelized and the edges of the pizza are golden brown

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