Margherita Pizza

The recipe Sunday was margherita pizza from scratch dough. Brayden, fifteen months, helped me flatten the dough on the kitchen counter with his small hands. The first cooking activity for him. The pizza came out the way pizzas come out when small hands have been involved. We loved it.

The recipe is below.

Margherita Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 27 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb pizza dough (store-bought or homemade), at room temperature
• 1/2 cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes or fresh tomato sauce
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• Cornmeal or flour, for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. Place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 500°F (or as high as your oven will go) for at least 30 minutes before baking.
2. Make the sauce. Stir together the crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
3. Shape the dough. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the dough into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a piece of parchment paper dusted with cornmeal.
4. Top the pizza. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the fresh mozzarella slices over the sauce, then layer the sliced tomatoes on top. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes if using.
5. Bake. Carefully slide the pizza (on the parchment) onto the hot stone or baking sheet. Bake for 10—12 minutes, until the crust is golden and charred in spots and the cheese is bubbling.
6. Finish with basil. Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately scatter the fresh basil leaves over the top. Slice and serve at once.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 18g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 52g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 680mg