Margherita Pizza | Recipe from Relais Borgo Santo Pietro, Tuscany
I have been fortunate to participate in cooking classes right in Italy where I learned that the success of a pizza lies in the art of stretching the dough. First, you have manipulate the dough using your fingertips to press it out from the center. Temperature is key: If the dough is too cold, it will shrink back to its original form; if it’s too warm, it will stick to the surface. Ever thought of taking a cooking class in Italy? Delizioso!
Makes 1 pizza
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 scant tsp. active dry yeast
1 1/3 cup water
1 15-oz. can whole San Marzano tomatoes
8 oz. buffalo mozzarella, sliced into quarter-inch disks
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Combine the flours, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Add half of the water and knead well. Slowly add the remaining water to the dough and knead. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 15 minutes, then place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Remove the dough and rest the dough again at room temperature for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Puree the tomatoes in a blender or food processor with a pinch of salt. Stretch or roll the dough into ½-inch-thick rounds. Working with one pizza at a time, spoon tomato sauce onto the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edge; top with the mozzarella slices; and drizzle with olive oil. Place the pizza on a sheet pan or pizza stone, and cook until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is crisp and lightly browned on the bottom. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
