Classic Pizza Margherita

By ezunich

Ingredients

• 1/4 tsp yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (100°)
• 1 tsp flour
• 1 -1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• additional flour
• Margherita Topping
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, minced
• 1 sprig parsley, chopped
• 1 lg clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1 1/2 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes
• 1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
• 3 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 2-3 tbs olive oil
• freshly ground pepper and salt

Preparation

Step 1

Crust
In mixing bowl, blend yeast, water and tsp of flour. Foam should form on the surface in about 8 minutes. Then blend in rest of flour and salt, forming a smooth, quite soft, slightly sticky dough. Been in mixer for 5 minutes. Place in a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Let stand in a cool place until doubled in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours).
Lightly oil a 14-16 inch pizza pan. Preheat oven to 500°, setting rack as low as possible in oven. Spread dough over pan, rolling in edges to form a rim. Let rest 10 minutes. Top with desired topping. Bake 10 minutes. Then using a spatula and thick oven mitt, slip the pizza off the pan directly onto the oven rack. Slide back in for 2 additional minutes.

Margherita Topping

In a 10 inch skillet, heat 1 tbs oil over medium high. Salute onion and parsley to golden, then stir in garlic and oregano for a few seconds. Add tomatoes, crushing them as they go into pan ( do not substitute with crushed tomatoes). Boil, stirring , 5 minutes or until thick. Spread sauce over rolled out crust