Margherita Pizza

For the Dough, watch the Pizza Dough video.

Heat up oil and cook garlic until fragrant; about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and add herbs carefully (wipe off any remaining moisture on the fresh herbs before adding the hot oil) cover and let infuse for 5 minutes. Remove lid and transfer to a clean container to cool. Herbed oil can be kept refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

In a food processor, pulse garlic and basil until finely chopped. Add tomatoes and pulse briefly. Do not purée the tomatoes, as the sauce is meant to be chunky or chop all by hand. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the tomato paste, and season with sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Add more tomato paste if the sauce looks watery. The tomato sauce can be prepared in advance.

Brush dough with herbed oil, add parmesan, tomato sauce, and the cheese.

Position rack in the lower third of oven with an upside-down baking tray or a pizza stone to create more thermal mass. Preheat oven to 550°F/290ºC. Carefully slide pizza onto the pizza stone, and bake for about 7 to 10 minutes or until it’s bubbling and the edge of the crust turns brown. If baking pizza in a wood-fired oven, time should be reduced by half. Garnish with fresh basil – Buon appetito!