MARGHERITA STYLE Homemade Pizza

 

This is my favorite way to have homemade pizza-- Margherita style.

Wikipedia says this pizza is so named because a queen named Margherita
was served this type of pizza to represent the colors of the Italian flag.

It's so simple to make! I think that I started making this pizza when I first started growing fresh basil-- which makes this pizza absolutely amazing! Of course, in a pinch (as in the above photo), I've used dried basil and it suffices as a substitute. But if you have the chance-- go FRESH! Of course, fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes are to die for as well!

MY GO-TO PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE:

2 tsp yeast
1/2 cup very warm water
2 tsp sugar
Let sit a few minutes until foamy.
Add:
1 1/2 cups more warm water
2 tsp salt
5-6 cups flour
Cover and let raise for a couple hours. (It's ok if you don't let it raise so long, but it's so much better if you do! So, remember to start your dough mid-afternoon when you want pizza for dinner!)

This is the way I make it:

Preheat pizza stone in a 500 degree oven.

Divide your dough in half. This recipe makes 2 pizzas if you've let it raise long enough.

Stretch/roll out half of your dough into a large flat circle. I do mine on a large folded tea towel with flour sprinkled on it. Get your topping ingredients ready while your pizza stone preheats.

TOPPING INGREDIENTS:

A little olive oil
Several cups of shredded mozzarella, or enough thin slices to cover the pizza.
1-2 tomatoes, sliced thinly
Several leaves of fresh basil, chopped (or you can shake dried basil over your pizza generously)
About 1/4 cup parmesan cheese to go over the top
A little Kosher salt and pepper to sprinkle on top

When you're ready and your pizza stone is pretty hot, take it out and lay your stretched out dough over the top of it. Sometimes I sprinkle cornmeal over the stone first. Sometimes I "paint" the dough with olive oil and then bake for 5 minutes and remove from the oven to add the toppings. Sometimes I skip this step. I can't decide what I like better.

Layer your toppings: mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, basil (be generous!!!), parmesan, and a little salt and pepper.

Put the pizza in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

When you take it out of the oven, let it sit for a minute before slicing it up so it can settle.

Enjoy!

          Up next... A LEMON product you'll always want to have in your Pantry