Name: Margherita Pizza
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 batch easy whole wheat pizza dough or 1 pound store-bought pizza dough; 1 large can (28 ounces) whole San Marzano tomatoes; 12 ounces (dry weight) ovoline-type mozzarella or other fresh mozzarella balls, ideally water-packed; Handful of fresh basil, thinly sliced plus small leaves; Additional garnishes: Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, flaky sea salt or kosher salt and optional red pepper flakes

Ingredients

2 serv.

1 batch easy whole wheat pizza dough or 1 pound store-bought pizza dough
1 large can (28 ounces) whole San Marzano tomatoes
12 ounces (dry weight) ovoline-type mozzarella or other fresh mozzarella balls, ideally water-packed
Handful of fresh basil, thinly sliced plus small leaves
Additional garnishes: Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, flaky sea salt or kosher salt and optional red pepper flakes

Instructions

Tap a step to mark it done

1 Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven. If you’re using a baking stone or baking steel, place it on the upper rack. Prepare dough through step 5.
2 Place a medium mixing bowl in the sink and pour the canned tomatoes into the bowl, juices and all. Crush the tomatoes by hand. Spread about ¾ cup of the tomato sauce evenly over each pizza, leaving about 1 inch bare around the edges.
3 If your mozzarella is packed in water, drain off the water and gently pat the mozzarella dry on a clean tea towel or paper towels. If you’re working with large mozzarella balls, tear them into smaller 1-inch balls. Distribute the mozzarella over the pizza, concentrating it a bit more in the center of the pizza, as it will melt toward the edges.
4 Bake pizzas individually on the top rack until the crust is golden and the cheese is just turning golden, about 10 to 12 minutes (or significantly less, if you’re using a baking stone/steel—keep an eye on it).
5 Top each pizza generously with fresh basil, followed by a light back-and-forth drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of salt, and red pepper flakes, if you wish. Slice and enjoy. Leftover pizza will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.