It was a good idea really, I mean most people agree that food tastes way better late at night.
Not to mention the fact that if you stay up really late (like most college kids do) you'll most likely need another meal.
The only problem is the fact that they are Taco Bell...
Come on, we can do so much better than that!
And before you know it, voila!
While the dough rests and rises, let's talk toppings.
Traditional pizza Margherita consists of sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, and basil.
I decided to do things a little differently.
First off, the tomatoes.
I found beautiful cherry tomatoes at the farmer's market Thursday so I decided to use mom's favorite cherry tomato sauce for the tomato element.
The little beauties are thrown in a searing hot skillet to char and release some of their delicious juices, tossed with chopped garlic and red pepper flakes, and roughly mashed with a fork.
Cooking them this way renders the tomatoes irresistibly sweet which pairs perfectly with the fragrant spice of the garlic and heat of the pepper.
Once the tomato sauce is ready it's time to play with our dough. (And by play I mean shape, though feel free to have fun along the way!)
It rises to incredible heights and is a dream to work with.
In keeping with all the other food I make, the dough gets stretched into a rather rustic looking square...
Next go the tomatoes,
And then the cheese...Now I prefer to use fresh mozzarella. But let's be serious, how many college kids do you know with fresh mozzarella in their fridge?
To be fair there probably aren't many college students with yeast or flour or Crisco either, (though I am guilty of having all of those things) but that's besides the point.
Anyways I had to use the bagged pre-shredded kind which was fine...This is college cooking underground after all.
But if you happen to have fresh mozzarella in your fridge when you make your fourth meal, by all means be my guest and use it. Your pizza will be extra melty and delicious.
Hardly anyone seasons their pizza, but it's what separates good pizza from great pizza. Trust me.
Now this ensemble is ready for the oven. Get it as hot as you can, and use a pizza stone if you have one. I do not, but
The piece de resitance of pizza Margherita is the fresh basil that gets sprinkled on at the end.
Luckily I found some at the farmer's market this week.
Next time you're up late, impress your friends with this tasty pizza. Not only will the be forever in your debt, you'll all feel better come morning by not ingesting cheap and definitely questionable mexican-american fare.
Your friends (and your stomachs) will thank you.
Enjoy your weekend everyone!
~Maddy
Pizza Margherita
Ingredients
Basic Pizza Dough
- 1 1/3 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/4-ounce packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Toppings
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 pound cherry tomatoes
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
red pepper flakes to taste (usually a generous pinch will do)
4-6 ounces shredded mozzarella
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil, sliced into strips (chiffonade)
For the dough, combine the water, yeast, sugar and oil in a large bowl. Stir in flour and salt until a rough dough forms. Knead until smooth and not sticky, about 5-10 minutes. Place in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap to rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. You want it very hot but not so hot that it's dangerously splattering (trust me on this one). Add tomatoes all at once and season with salt and pepper. Toss occasionally and cook until bursting and skins are charred. Transfer to a bowl with garlic and pepper flakes. Mash with a fork until all tomatoes are squished but still very chunky. The idea here is to release the juices but not puree the tomatoes in any way shape or form. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Once dough has risen, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Wrap one half in plastic and refrigerate or freeze for later use. Stretch the other half into a long rectangle (or circle if that's the kind of pan you have) and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread tomato mixture evenly over dough and sprinkle with cheese. Season with salt and paper and bake until cheese is melted and golden and the crust is crisp and nicely browned on the bottom, about 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the basil strips.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!
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