Best 20 Margherita Pizza Recipes

AUTHENTIC PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Stir flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Set aside.
• Mix water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Let stand until yeast begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Stir half the flour mixture into yeast mixture until no dry spots remain. Stir in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When dough pulls together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, then place dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C)) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Punch dough down, divide into 4 equal pieces, and form each into a ball.
• Preheat oven with a pizza stone to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Stretch out and pat 1 dough ball to form a circle 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Place dough on a lightly floured pizza peel. Top with 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and spread to cover within an inch of the edge of the dough. Arrange 5 slices of mozzarella cheese on top of the tomato sauce, then place 5 basil leaves on top. Drizzle pizza with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Repeat for 3 remaining dough balls.
• Slide each pizza onto the pizza stone in the preheated oven. Bake until cheese is bubbly and the underside of the crust is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put a jelly roll pan or a half sheet pan in the oven.
• Begin by making the tomato sauce. In a large saute pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the minced garlic, thyme and oregano. Cook until just fragrant then add the crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Lower the heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavor. Shut off the heat and set aside.
• Take the preheated jelly roll pan out of the oven and drizzle some olive oil over the entire surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces and reserve 1 piece for another use. Stretch the pizza dough out so it is just bigger than the pan, then lay it inside the pan, so the dough comes up the sides to form a crust on the rim. Smear with tomato sauce then tear up the mozzarella and scatter it evenly over the top of the pie. Tear the basil leaves, spread them over the top and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Give it a final season with salt and pepper, to taste, then bake in the hot oven until golden and bubbly, about 15 to 18 minutes
• In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water and stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, 5 to 10 minutes.
• If you're using a stand mixer, combine the salt and flour to the bowl and pulse a few times to mix. Add the yeast mixture, at the lowest speed, until the flour incorporates. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough gathers into a ball. This should take about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough as you're making it by squeezing a small amount together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water, if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times, kneading until it's smooth and elastic.
• If you're making the dough by hand, add the yeast mixture to a large bowl and stir in the salt and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then begin stirring in the flour. When the mixture becomes too stiff to stir with a spoon, knead in the rest of the flour by hand, adding just enough so that the dough is soft but not too sticky. As you work, squeeze a small amount of dough together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
• Form the dough into a round and put it into a lightly oiled bowl, turning it over to coat the dough entirely with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e., over a gas pilot light) until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven, cut into slices and serve. .

CLASSIC MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with rack in lower third lined with a pizza stone or baking sheet. Turn dough out onto a pizza peel or thin wooden cutting board dusted with semolina (do not punch down). Starting in center and using both hands, press down and outward with your fingertips, rotating dough occasionally. Gradually work toward edges, leaving a 1-inch border of undisturbed dough, until it's stretched to an approximately 13-inch round.
• Lightly drizzle dough with oil; season with salt and pepper. Gently spread sauce evenly to just inside border, top evenly with mozzarella, and sprinkle with Parmigiano. With one quick forward-and-back jerking motion, slide pizza from peel onto stone. (This is not the moment to hesitate! Be brave and bold, and the pizza will slide off the peel.)
• Bake until crust is puffed, golden brown in places, and set on bottom, and cheese is bubbly, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pizza to a wire rack; let cool 2 to 3 minutes. Top with basil and pepper flakes, slice, and serve immediately.

MARGHERITA FLATBREAD PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Chop 1/2 of the basil leaves.
• Place a large saucepan over medium heat to warm. Put plum tomatoes in the pan and chop them up with a spatula. Bring to a simmer and add garlic, thyme sprigs, and chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until most of the moisture is gone, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs.
• Place flatbread on a baking sheet and cook in the preheated oven for 3 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Spread olive oil lightly over entire flatbread except the edge, then sprinkle with crushed red pepper. Spread tomato sauce on top of olive oil and place mozzarella on top. Layer with remaining whole basil leaves and tomato slices.
• Return to the oven and cook until crust is light brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine the oil, sugar, salt and 1 cup flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll each portion into a 13-in. circle. Transfer to two greased 14-in. pizza pans; build up edges slightly. Cover with a clean kitchen towel; let rest for 10 minutes., Spoon tomatoes over dough. Top with basil, oregano, cheese, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil. Bake at 450° for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

FOUR CHEESE MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Stir together olive oil, garlic, and salt; toss with tomatoes, and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Brush each pizza crust with some of the tomato marinade. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with Mozzarella and Fontina cheeses. Arrange tomatoes overtop, then sprinkle with shredded basil, Parmesan, and feta cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

CRISPY GRILLED PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
• Place pizza dough in a bowl to rise 2 to 3 times the original size, about 1 hour. Flour a work surface and a rolling pin. Divide dough in half; roll each half to a 10- to 12-inch diameter circle.
• Place pizza dough rounds on the preheated grill using a wooden paddle (pizza peel) and close lid; cook until grill marks appear on the bottom of each round, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from grill and flip over on a work surface. Lower grill heat to medium.
• Brush each round with olive oil. Spread half the Asiago cheese on each crust; add tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer pizzas to grill with wooden paddle and close lid. Cook until bottom of rounds is cooked with grill marks and cheese is melted, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from grill and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Stir together yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl and let stand until surface appears creamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't appear creamy, discard and start over with new yeast.)
• Add 1 1/4 cups flour, remaining 1/2 cup water, salt, and oil and stir until smooth. Stir in enough flour (1/4 to 1/3 cup) for dough to begin to pull away from side of bowl. (Dough will be slightly wet.)
• Knead on a floured surface, lightly reflouring when dough becomes too sticky, until smooth, soft, and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball, put in a bowl, and dust with flour. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, about 1 1/4 hours.
• Make tomato sauce while dough rises:
• Pulse tomatoes with juice in a blender briefly to make a chunky purée.
• Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until fragrant and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add tomato purée, basil, sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and cool.
• Heat pizza stone while dough rises:
• At least 45 minutes before baking pizza, put stone on oven rack in lower third of electric oven (or on floor of gas oven) and preheat oven to 500°F.
• Shape dough:
• Do not punch down. Dust dough with flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined pizza peel or large baking sheet. Pat out dough evenly with your fingers and stretch into a 14-inch round, reflouring fingers if necessary.
• Assemble pizza:
• Spread sauce over dough, leaving a 1-inch border (there may be some sauce left over). Arrange cheese on top, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border.
• Slide pizza on parchment onto pizza stone. Bake until dough is crisp and browned and cheese is golden and bubbling in spots, 13 to 16 minutes. Using peel or baking sheet, transfer pizza to a cutting board. Cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with some basil leaves before slicing.

MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Stretch dough into two thin 9-inch rounds. Top each with 1/2 cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes, dried oregano, salt, pepper and olive oil; bake until golden. Sprinkle with 1/2 pound diced mozzarella, torn basil and salt. Bake until the cheese melts, then drizzle with olive oil.
• How to make a pizza:
• Step 1: Place a pizza stone or an inverted baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and preheat to 500 degrees.
• Step 2: Stretch 1 pound dough on a floured pizza peel, large wooden cutting board or parchment paper.
• Step 3: Top as desired, then slide the pizza (with the parchment paper, if using) onto the stone or baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Pizza Dough
• Whisk 3 3/4 cups flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Make a well and add 1 1/3 cups warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 packet yeast. When foamy, mix in 3 tablespoons olive oil; knead until smooth, 5 minutes. Brush with olive oil, cover in a bowl and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Divide into two 1-pound balls. Use 1 pound per recipe unless noted.
• See all 50 easy pizza toppings

NAAN BREAD MARGHERITA PIZZA WITH PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Place naan breads on the prepared baking sheet; brush each naan with olive oil. Spread green onion and garlic over each naan. Arrange 4 slices mozzarella cheese onto each naan; top with tomato slices. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper. Top tomato layers with prosciutto, basil, and Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pizza is crispy on the edges and cheese is melted, about 8 minutes. Turn on oven's broiler and broil until cheese is lightly browned and bubbling, about 2 minutes.

MARGHERITA PIZZA WITH SAUSAGE AND PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Arrange tomato slices on a few sheets of paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
• Place pizza crust onto a baking sheet or baking steel. Spread pizza sauce evenly over the crust. Top evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese. Next, add the tomato slices and fresh mozzarella cheese. Top with chicken sausage. Dot evenly with pesto sauce.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and immediately top with torn basil.

PIZZA MARGHERITA FROM FLEISCHMANN'S®

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add very warm water and oil; mix until well blended, about 1 minute.
• Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Dough should form a ball and will be slightly sticky. Knead** on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. (If using RapidRise Yeast, let dough rest at this point for 10 minutes.)
• Pat dough with floured hands to fill greased pizza pan or baking sheet. OR roll dough on a floured counter to 12-inch circle; place in greased pizza pan or baking sheet. Form a rim by pinching the edge of the dough.
• For toppings: Combine oil and garlic; brush over crust. Top with freshly ground sea salt. Add tomato slices and basil; sprinkle with cheese. Finish with a sprinkle of Italian herb seasoning.
• Bake on lowest oven rack for 12 to 15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned.

PIZZA MARGHERITA RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine flour, 1½ tablespoons salt, and sugar.
• In a medium bowl, combine water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir well and let rest for 2 minutes.
• Add yeast mixture to flour mixture and combine using your hands or a stand mixer with a dough hook, at least two minutes. Let dough rest for 20 minutes, uncovered, at room temperature.
• On a floured work surface, separate dough into 4 even portions. Work each into a circular ball, then place the balls onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Cover with a damp towel and rest, refrigerated, for at least 4 hours.
• In a blender or food processor, combine tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of salt, and garlic. Process until smooth.
• Preheat oven to 550°F/290°C. Place a pizza stone or large cast-iron griddle on the center rack. Heat for at least 45 minutes.
• On a floured work surface, use your fingertips to create a ring around the outside (your crust) of one of the risen balls of dough. Using the pads of your fingers, gently flatten out the dough inside the ring.
• Gently lift up the dough and let it hang off your knuckles, stretching itself out with its own weight. Slowly rotate the circle of dough, continuing to let it stretch off your knuckles. Go all the way around the circle once, taking care not to let it hang too long in one place and stretch too thin.
• Using a large spoon, spread a thin layer of sauce across the dough, leaving room for the crust.
• Evenly place three slices of mozzarella on top of the sauce, then sprinkle a handful of torn basil leaves evenly over your pizza. Or top with whatever you desire: sausage, peppers, onions... just about anything can be a pizza topping!
• Carefully slide the pizza onto a floured sheet or pizza peel and place on top of your stone or griddle in the oven. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the top of the crust is just beginning to blacken.
• Remove from oven and let cool for 3-4 minutes before slicing.
• Enjoy!

GRILLED PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Make sauce and prepare cheese:
• If using fresh tomatoes, cut an X (just through skin) in each, at end opposite stem, and immerse in boiling water for 10 seconds. Transfer to cold water with a slotted spoon, then peel.
• Seed and chop tomatoes (fresh or canned).
• Simmer tomatoes, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick and reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Toss together mozzarella and remaining tablespoon oil.
• Form pizza rounds:
• Do not punch down dough. Gently dredge 1 ball of dough in a bowl of flour to coat, then transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Holding 1 edge of floured dough in the air with both hands and letting bottom touch work surface, carefully move hands around edge of dough (like turning a steering wheel), allowing weight of dough to stretch round to roughly 7 inches in diameter. Lay dough round flat on floured surface and continue to stretch by pressing dough with your fingertips, working from center outward to edge, stretching it into a 9-inch round. Transfer to a large floured tray and make another round in same manner, then place it next to other round. Lightly rub a long sheet of plastic wrap with flour, then invert loosely over pizza rounds and let them stand to puff slightly while preparing grill, 10 to 20 minutes.
• To prepare charcoal grill:
• Open vents on bottom of grill and on lid. Light a heaping chimneyful of charcoal and pour it evenly over 2 opposite sides of bottom rack (you will have a double or triple layer of charcoal), leaving clear a 9-inch-wide strip in middle (for grilling over indirect heat).
• Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds.
• To prepare gas grill:
• Preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate.
• To grill pizzas by either method:
• Remove plastic wrap from both rounds of dough and lightly brush dough with some oil. Carefully flip dough rounds, oiled sides down, with your hands onto middle of lightly oiled grill rack and brush top of each with oil. Grill crusts, uncovered, until undersides are golden brown (rotate them if 1 side of grill is hotter than the other), 2 to 3 minutes on gas grill or 4 to 6 minutes on charcoal grill.
• Flip crusts over with tongs and a spatula and top each crust with half of tomato sauce, spreading evenly over dough and leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over sauce and grill pizzas, covered with grill lid, until undersides are golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes on gas grill or 5 minutes on charcoal grill.
• Scatter basil over pizzas.

MARGHERITA PIZZA WITH A FRIED EGG

Steps:

• For the dough: Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups of the flour and the salt until smooth. Stir in an additional 2 cups flour; continue adding flour (up to 1/2 cup), 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until the dough comes away from bowl but is still sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead it with lightly floured hands: Start by slapping the dough onto the counter, pulling it toward you with one hand and pushing it away with the other. Fold the dough back over itself (use a bench scraper or a wide knife to help scrape dough from work surface). Repeat until the dough is easier to handle, about 10 times. Finish by kneading normally until the dough is smooth, elastic and soft, but a little tacky, about 10 minutes.
• Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 3 hours. Press the dough with a finger to see if it's done; an indent should remain.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 to 6 balls. Place the balls on a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover gently with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature until puffed and relaxed, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the onions; cook until very soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chile flakes; cook 1 minute longer.
• Add the tomatoes and their juices, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a strong simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and the mixture thickens, about 30 minutes. Mash the tomatoes with a potato masher and continue cooking until thickened, about 15 minutes longer.
• Stir in the oregano and season with salt and pepper. Cool before using on the pizza. (Makes 1 quart; freeze leftover sauce in a container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 1 month.)
• For the pizza: Preheat a pizza oven to 625 degrees F, or a conventional oven as hot as it will go with a baking stone on or near the bottom of the oven.
• Sprinkle a pizza peel with some cornmeal. Roll and stretch one of the dough balls into a thin oblong on a lightly floured surface and lay it on the peel. Spread the dough with about 1/2 cup tomato sauce, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle the border with olive oil and season the whole pie with salt and pepper. Scatter 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan over the pizza and top with a few pieces of mozzarella -- it shouldn't cover the top. Slide the pizza into the pizza oven (or onto the baking stone) and cook until the crust is golden on the edges, blistered and crisp on the bottom, and the cheese is bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes, depending on oven temperature.
• When the pizza still has a few minutes to go, heat some olive oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Slip in an egg and cook until about three-quarters done -- the white should be set enough to remove the egg from the pan but not completely firm. Season with salt and pepper. Use the peel to remove the pizza from the oven; slide the egg into the center of the pizza. Return the pizza to the oven and cook until the white is set and the yolk is still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board, top with torn basil, slice and serve. Repeat for the remaining pizzas.

SIMPLE PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Make the dough: Pour water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugar and yeast; stir until yeast has dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add oil, flours, and salt. Fit mixer with paddle attachment; mix until combined. Switch to dough hook; mix 5 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, and knead a few times with floured hands until smooth and elastic. Transfer dough to a large oiled bowl, and turn to coat; cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 3 hours. (Alternatively, let dough rise in the refrigerator overnight.)
• Make the sauce: Pulse tomatoes in a blender until smooth; set aside. Put garlic and oil into a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until garlic sizzles, about 40 seconds. Add shallots; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. (Sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days.)
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Preheat a baking sheet. Punch down dough; transfer to a floured work surface. Divide dough in half. Set half aside, and cover with plastic wrap. Roll out remaining dough to 14 by 7 inches, 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle a pizza peel with semolina flour, and place rolled dough on top.
• Brush top of dough lightly with oil. Spread with 1/2 cup sauce, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with half the mozzarella. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan, and season with pepper.
• Slide pizza onto heated sheet in oven. Bake until dough is golden and cheese is bubbling, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, repeat process with remaining dough. Let each pizza cool slightly; top with half the basil. Cut into slices, and serve.

COULDN'T BE EASIER MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Place cast iron skillet, that has been slightly brushed with olive oil, (or other heavy metaled oven proof pan) in oven for a few minutes to heat.
• Meanwhile, assemble pizza using tortilla as the base, top with tomatoes, garlic, cheese, basil leaves (can leave leaves whole, or julienne). I top with basil last because I love crispy basil. If you don't like basil this way, put under the cheese.
• Place tortilla in hot skillet. It should sizzle. Cook until done (mine takes about 8-10 minutes).

MARGHERITA PIZZA (PIZZA MARGHERITA)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Drizzle the olive oil over the pizza shell. Use a brush to spread it around and make sure to get the crust!
• Next, disperse the finely chopped garlic evenly.
• Spread the mozzarella cheese throughout the top, but keep it thin.
• Place the thinly sliced tomatoes across the entire pizza.
• Lightly salt and pepper the tomatoes with the kosher salt.
• Spread the fresh basil leaves, making sure to get some on tomatoes and on just the cheese itself.
• Cook the pizza in the oven for about 9-10 minutes, or until sufficiently crispy and melted to your liking.
• Add a little Parmesan cheese and (optional) crushed red pepper and enjoy!

PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Put pizza stone on oven floor if using a gas oven; on the lowest rack if using electric oven (remove all other racks in either case).
• Preheat oven to highest temperature (500). Allow about 1 hour to preheat the stone.
• Prepare the Topping:.
• Combine tomatoes, salt and 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Simmer stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 1 cup (10-15 minutes). Tranfers to bowl to cool.
• Toss together mozzarella and remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
• Shape the dough: See Recipe #236785.
• Assemble and bake the pizza:.
• Sprinkle baker's peel with 1 tablespoon cornmeal. Carefully slide dough onto peel, then jerk peel once or twice: If dough sticks, lift it and sprinkle a little more cornmeal underneath.
• Optional: rub slit clove of garlic over dough.
• Spread tomato sauce evenly over dough, leaving 1/2 inch border and top sauce with mozzarella.
• Line up far edge of peel with far edge of stone and tilt peel, jerking it gently to start pizza moving. When edge of pizza touches stone, quickly pull back peel to transfer pizza to stone (do not pull pizza back).
• Bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted and bubbling, about 8 minutes. Slide peel under pizza to remove from oven, then scatter basil leaves on top.

CHRISTIAN PETRONI'S MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to the highest temperature possible with a pizza stone on the upper rack, for 1 hour.
• Stretch pizza dough with your fingers, working in a circular motion, with your fingers positioned between the center of the dough and the edge, forming a rough disk that will gradually become thiner as you proceed. Then toss dough between the palms of your hands, allowing gravity to stretch it, and the center becomes thinner. Use your fists to move the dough in a circular motion to further stretch it, until it is about 12 inches in diameter, with the edge being slightly thicker. Place dough on a pizza peel lightly sprinkled with semolina to ensure it won't stick.
• Using a small ladle, evenly spread tomato sauce over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Distribute mozzarella uniformly over sauce; garnish with basil leaves. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano, and drizzle with one tablespoon olive oil.
• When transferring pizza to the heated pizza stone in the oven, use one continuous, but quick, jerking motion. Once in the oven, turn the oven off, and turn broiler to high, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Serve drizzled with remaining tablespoon of olive oil.