CLASSIC MARGHERITA PIZZA

Classic Margherita Pizza image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Time 20m

Yield Makes one 13-inch round pizza

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 recipe Classic Pizza Dough
Semolina flour or fine cornmeal, for dusting
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup No-Cook Pizza Sauce
6 ounces fresh salted mozzarella, cut into scant 1/4-inch slices, room temperature
1/2 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (a scant 1/4 cup)
Fresh basil leaves and red-pepper flakes, for serving (optional)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with rack in lower third lined with a pizza stone or baking sheet. Turn dough out onto a pizza peel or thin wooden cutting board dusted with semolina (do not punch down). Starting in center and using both hands, press down and outward with your fingertips, rotating dough occasionally. Gradually work toward edges, leaving a 1-inch border of undisturbed dough, until it's stretched to an approximately 13-inch round.
Lightly drizzle dough with oil; season with salt and pepper. Gently spread sauce evenly to just inside border, top evenly with mozzarella, and sprinkle with Parmigiano. With one quick forward-and-back jerking motion, slide pizza from peel onto stone. (This is not the moment to hesitate! Be brave and bold, and the pizza will slide off the peel.)
Bake until crust is puffed, golden brown in places, and set on bottom, and cheese is bubbly, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pizza to a wire rack; let cool 2 to 3 minutes. Top with basil and pepper flakes, slice, and serve immediately.