Lisas Pizza Margherita Recipes

LISA'S PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• IMPORTANT: If you are using a stand mixer and your stand mixer is smaller than 6 quarts., split the dough ingredients in half and make two separate batches in your mixer. STEPS 1 THRU 4 ARE FOR THE DOUGH: Proof yeast in warm water with the sugar for 5 min.
• Add flour and salt to stand mixer bowl. Add liquid to dry ingredients; add oil. Knead on stand-mixer for 2-5 min. after dough comes together. If you do not have a stand mixer, you can do this by hand: Mix the dough in a large mixing bowl in two separate batches (read note in Step 1 regarding stand mixer size); turn dough out onto a floured counter top or large cutting board; knead dough for five minutes.
• Dough will be on the sticky side. Oil a large bowl (or two bowls if spitting it in half) and the dough to coat; cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and allow it to set for 30 min. in a warm place.
• After 30 min., deflate the dough very gently and put it on a board. Divide it into four portions.
• STEPS 5 THRU 7 ARE FOR THE SAUCE: Pour the tomatoes into a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. If you do not have either of those machines, pour the tomatoes out into a large bowl and crush them with your hands, removing any tough cores.
• Into a large, straight-sided non-stick skillet pour 2 T olive oil; add chopped garlic. Turn on heat to medium-low and bring oil up to temperature to sauté the garlic for about 2 min., just until it is fragrant and tender.
• Add tomatoes, basil leaves, salt, and sugar to the pan. Turn heat up and bring to a boil. Turn heat back to medium and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes (do not cover with a lid).
• STEPS 8 THRU ARE FOR THE ASSEMBLY OF THE PIZZAS: Preheat oven to 475 degrees F for at least 30 minutes, up to one hour.
• Toss some flour onto pizza pans. Stretch each dough and place onto pizza pans, keeping any dough balls not being used covered to avoid a skin from forming.
• Drizzle stretched dough with a little bit of olive oil. Place a couple of large spoonfuls of sauce on top and spread to the edge, leaving a 1-inch crust. Tear and break the basil leaves and put them on top of the sauce. Next, top with sliced mozzarella. Drizzle with a little bit more olive oil. Scatter around the chopped garlic pieces, if using. Sprinkle pizza with a pinch of salt.
• Bake pizza for 10 minutes. If baking two pizzas at a time on top and bottom oven shelves, switch them at the 5-minute mark. Can drizzle with a little more olive oil before slicing.

AUTHENTIC PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Stir flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Set aside.
• Mix water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Let stand until yeast begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Stir half the flour mixture into yeast mixture until no dry spots remain. Stir in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When dough pulls together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, then place dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C)) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Punch dough down, divide into 4 equal pieces, and form each into a ball.
• Preheat oven with a pizza stone to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Stretch out and pat 1 dough ball to form a circle 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Place dough on a lightly floured pizza peel. Top with 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and spread to cover within an inch of the edge of the dough. Arrange 5 slices of mozzarella cheese on top of the tomato sauce, then place 5 basil leaves on top. Drizzle pizza with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Repeat for 3 remaining dough balls.
• Slide each pizza onto the pizza stone in the preheated oven. Bake until cheese is bubbly and the underside of the crust is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

CLASSIC MARGHERITA PIZZA

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.