Return to Main Recipes Page/Return to Home Page
2 balls of dough (click here for Pizza Dough recipes)
Place a baking stone in middle shelf of the oven and preheat at the highest setting for at least 1 hour. Make one pizza at a time, unless oven can accommodate two.
Lay a ball of dough on a floured counter and roll it around until its entirely covered with flour. Dip your hands in a bowl of flour to coat them thoroughly, then firmly but gently press down on the dough to flatten it into a disk about 1" thick.
Using fingertips, press into and around the edge of the dough, turning as you go and working your way to the center of the disk. Stop occasionally to dust your hands and the counter with additional flour.
Hang the dough over the edge of the counter so half is suspended. Working with the portion of the dough still on the counter, use your fingertips to press around the inner lip of the dough, about 1/4" from the edge, and continue rotating. Gravity will stretch the dough as you press and rotate. Continue until the dough forms a 9" disk.
Transfer the dough to a peel that has been dusted with flour.
Spread 1/4 cup tomato sauce over the dough, leaving a 1/4" border uncovered. Place 4 basil leaves on top of the sauce, one in each quadrant. Arrange half of each of the two cheeses over the pizza, mozzarella first.
Carefully slide the pizza from the peel into the oven. Bake 7 to 9 minutes, or until crust is puffy and slightly charred on the edge and the cheese is completely melted and brown in spots.
Let the pizza cool about 2 minutes before slicing and serving.
Posted by Harriet Botwin
Nutritional Info Per Serving: N/A
Unbleached flour, cornmeal or semolina flour for dusting
1/2 cup crushed tomato sauce (click here for Pizza Sauce recipe)
16 leaves fresh basil leaves
1/4 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into rounds, shredded or cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, pecorino, Romano or asiago cheese