FRESH TOMATOES AND BASIL PIZZA
Ingredients :
Crust:
¾ cup cornmeal
½ cup warm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
Optional: use purchased pizza dough
Topping:
3 - 4 Roma tomatoes cut crosswise into slices
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 basil leaves cut in thin strips
Salt
Preparation:
Crust:
Combine warm water with the yeast in a small bowl and mix to blend. Let yeast stand for approximately 5 minutes until it has dissolved. Place flour and salt in the food processor and blend. Blend olive oil. With the processor running add gradually the yeast mixture and process only until dough forms.
Remove dough from the processor and place it on a lightly floured surface.
Knead the dough 1 or 2 minutes. Forma a ball and place it on a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough until it is coated with the oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to a warm place until dough doubles its volume, about 1 hour.
Deflate by punching down dough and form into a ball.
Divide dough in half and roll out each half into a 20/22 cm (10/11in.) diameter round. Transfer each round to a baking sheet, previously sprinkled with cornmeal.
Topping:
Drizzle 2 teaspoons olive oil on each pizza and spread half of the shredded mozzarella cheese on each pizza, leaving 1 in/ 2 cm border around each pizza. Arrange one layer of tomato slices on top and sprinkle parmesan cheese. Arrange basil leaves on top, sprinkle garlic and drizzle more olive oil on top.
Bake in preheated oven to 450°F (230°C) until crust is crispy and the cheese is melted, approximately 15 - 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle some basil on top. Cut pizza and serve immediately.
4 - 8 servings
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