Margherita Pizza
The ultimate margherita pizza with no-cook marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, and torn basil leaves.
Makes: 1 (12-inch) pizza
Cost: $12
Equipment
- Large rimmed baking sheet or baking stone/steel
- Pizza peel (optional)
Ingredients
- ½ to ⅔ cup super-easy marinara sauce (made with 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil, if desired)
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cut into ½-inch cubes
- extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4 leaves fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (if using a baking sheet) or as high as it will go (if using a baking stone/steel; place the stone/steel in the bottom third of the oven before you start preheating).
- Make a batch of Super-Easy Marinara Sauce, stirring in 1 tablespoon of minced fresh basil leaves for an extra dose of herbaceous flavor. Measure out ½ to ⅔ cup of the sauce and set it aside; put the rest in an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze for another use. (It's great on pasta or as a dipping sauce for bread or pizza crust.)
- If you're using a baking stone/steel, turn the oven to Broil on high.
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12- to 14-inch circle, then transfer it to an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet or a lightly floured pizza peel (if using a baking stone/steel).
- Spread the sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border all around. Top with the cubed cheese, then drizzle the pizza lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt and a grind or two of black pepper.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese has browned in spots—8 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet, 6 to 8 minutes on the baking stone/steel.
- Remove the pizza from the oven. Tear the fresh basil leaves into small pieces and scatter them on top of the pizza. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Let the pizza cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.