{recipe} Margherita Pizza

We started our Friday night pizza night back up.  I use this simple margherita pizza as the base, and it is delicious.  Sometimes we add some veggies and other toppings, and sometimes we use just the base with a nice and big side salad.  The flavor is so delicious, and our whole family will devour this in a few seconds.

It is fast, simple, and did I mention easy?

 MARGHERITA PIZZA:

* makes one 9x13 inch rectangular pizza

1 recipe lazy pizza dough
1 28 oz can tomatoes, drained for 30 minutes (I like using San Marzano tomatoes)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
2 tsp honey  (I like using raw honey)
pinch of red pepper flakes
8oz mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
glug of olive oil (make sure you buy unaltered olive oil)
handful of fresh basil, sliced

* I recommend using organic/grass-fed/high quality ingredients from reputable companies when feasible.

Place a strainer over a glass bowl, dump the canned tomatoes in the strainer.  Give the tomatoes a little squeeze to release any liquid on the inside.  Drain for 30 minutes.

Preheat the over to 450°F.  Follow the instructions for prepping the pizza dough here.

Place the canned tomatoes, minced garlic, honey, rep pepper flakes, and salt in the a blender (this is the blender I own and I love) and blend to desired consistency and or texture.  

Add the sauce to the prepared pizza dough, and spread evenly with a silicone spatula.

Add the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove the pizza stone from the oven, and add the Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 10-15 minutes more until golden and bubbly - the pizza will have a darker crust if you use a pizza pan without sides, or you could even do it on the back for a sheet pan.

As soon as the pizza is done cooking, sprinkle with fresh basil leaves and add a glug of olive oil.

Let the pizza rest for 10 minutes.  Using a pizza cutter, cut the pizza into squares.

Serve warm.

Keep the pizza in a covered container in there refrigerator for 3-4 days.