Margherita Pizza from Kathy Gehl

From Kathy Gehl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 tab olive oil

4 garlic gloves, minced garlic

1 tab fresh oregano leaves

1 tab fresh thyme leaves

1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand crushed (recommend San Marzano)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 recipe fresh pizza dough (recipe follows)

1 8 oz ball fresh buffalo mozzarella, water drained

1/ 2 bunch fresh basil leaves

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

In large saute pan over medium heat, add 2 tab of olive oil, the minced garlic, thyme and oregano.  Cook until fragrant then add crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Lower the heat and simmer 8 to 10 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavor.  Shut off heat and set aside.  Cut the pizza dough into 2 pieces, reserve one piece for second pizza.  Stretch the dough and place on pizza stone.  Smear with tomato sauce, tear up the mozzarella and scatter it evenly over the top of the pie.  Tear the basil leaves, spread them ove the top and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Bake until golden and bubbly about 15 to 18 minutes.

 

Fresh Pizza Dough

2 packages active dry yeast

2 tsp sugar

2 cups warm water

2 tab Kosher salt

6 cups unbleached all purpose flour.

 

In a small bowl combine the yeast, sugar and water and stir gently to dissolve.  Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, 5 to 10 minutes.  If you use a stand mixer, combine the salt and flour to the bowl and pulse a few times to mix.  Add the yeast mixture at the lowest speed until the flour incorporates.  When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough gathers into a ball.  This should take about 2 minutes.  Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times.  Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook.  If the dough is crumbly add more water.  If it is sticky, add more flour, 1 tab at a time.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times, kneading until it is smooth and elastic.

If making dough by hand, add the yeast mixture to a large bowl and stir in the salt and the 2 tab oil.  Then  begin stirring in the flour,  When the mixture becomes too stiff to stir with a spoon, knead in the rest of the flour by hand adding just enough so that dough is soft but not too sticky. 

Form the dough into a round and put it into a lightly oiled bowl, turning it over to coat the dough entirely with the oil.  Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.