Margherita Pizzas

RECIPE NewTree Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHY Tri Nguyen

Read the accompanying story here: Order of Things

Margharita Pizzas

Makes two 12-inch pizzas

Pizza dough

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups “00” flour (or high-quality bread flour)

• 1 1/4 cups warm water (about 100°F)

• 1 packet (7g) active dry yeast

• 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Tomato sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ripe farm tomatoes (handmade or locally sourced)

• Fresh basil leaves

• Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for garnish

• Extra virgin olive oil, for finishing

Instructions:

1. Place baking steel or stone on lowest rack. Preheat to maximum temperature (500-550°F) for 45-minutes (steel) or 1 hour (stone). Use convection, if available, only during preheating.

2. Make the dough: Dissolve yeast in warm water; let foam 5-10 minutes. Mix flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and oil. Knead 8-10 minutes, until smooth. Rise in oiled bowl until doubled, 1-1 1/2 hours.

3. Prepare the sauce: Blanch, peel, and crush tomatoes by hand. Sauté garlic in oil until fragrant. Add tomatoes, simmer 15 minutes. Season with salt, add torn basil. Remove garlic.

4. Heat the oven: Preheat as directed above.

5. Shape and top: Divide dough in half. Hand-stretch each to 12 inches. Spread thin sauce layer, torn mozzarella, basil leaves.

6. Bake: Launch pizza onto steel/stone with floured peel. Bake 3-4 minutes, then broil 30-60 seconds for char. Total time: 4-6 minutes (steel) or 6-8 minutes (stone).

7. Finish: Remove, drizzle with olive oil, add grated Parmigiano. Rest 1 minute before slicing.