To make a great pizza, you’ll need to start with pizza dough and marinara sauce preparation. The sauce, if making from scratch, will have to be done at least a day ahead of time.
Place ball of dough on a lightly floured surface, then press out into desired diameter. Use only your finger tips, slowly pressing in from the middle outwards, to ideally 7-13 inches wide, depending if you’re going for a personal or large sized pie.
With your fingers, form a slightly thicker raised rim around the edge of the circle. Glaze the crust and top of dough lightly with olive oil.
Heat up olive oil in a pan on medium heat for cooking any toppings ahead of time. I like a supreme pizza (so almost everything on it) so we’re going to cook garlic, onion, peppers, sausage and mushrooms.
Once cooked, begin to assemble the pizza.
Spread cornmeal onto a pizza stone and place in the oven on the lowest bottom rack. Clear the other rack to the highest level to make room.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Add marinara sauce to dough. About 1/3 cup.
Add any other toppings desired like pepperoni, olives, artichoke, etc.
Layer with fresh mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Top with a couple basil leaves.
Spread cornmeal generously onto a pizza peel and slip under pizza.
Place onto pizza stone and bake for about 18-25 minutes depending on how large you make them and how hot your oven is. You want to see the cheese bubbling and the crust a light golden color.
Use the pizza peel to slide the pizza out of the oven and onto a cutting board. Use a pizza cutter or large knife to slice.
No Comments