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5.0 from 6 votes

Margherita Pizza

This Margherita Pizza is sure to be a hit! You get a fairly thin crust which is topped with a rich garlicky tomato sauce, lots of fresh mozzarella and plenty of fresh basil. This is how you do pizza!

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 5
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. pizza dough, store-bought or homemade*
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp minced garlic  (2 cloves)
  • 1 2/3 cups canned San Marzano tomatoes (and juices), finely crushed with hands
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, chopped into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup Small basil leaves or chopped basil ribbons

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat oven to 550 degrees and place a pizza stone in the oven. Let it rest for at least 45 - 60 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add garlic and saute just until fragrant but not browning, about 15 seconds.
  3. Add in tomatoes, season with salt and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced and thickened to nearly 1 cup, about 15 - 20 minutes. 
  4. Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Note that only one pizza will be able to bake at a time. 
  5. Working with one piece of dough at a time, stretch and shape into an oval about 13-inches long.
  6. Lay on a well floured pizza peel. Spread about 1/2 cup sauce over one crust, sprinkle with half the mozzarella. 
  7. Quickly and carefully slide pizza from pizza peel to preheated pizza stone and bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 4 - 7 minutes. 
  8. Repeat with remaining crust. Sprinkle pizzas with fresh basil, cut into slices and serve immediately while warm.

Notes

  • If using store-bought pizza dough, let it come to room temperature before shaping. For homemade pizza dough recipe, follow link here (you will have extra dough which you can freeze for a later use).
  • Recipe source: Cooking Classy