Pizza Margherita

Pizza, this word itself makes me hungry, i have completely fallen in love with this Italian food when i tasted the veritable pizza margherita when we travelled to Italy few years back.Earlier i never baked pizza at home and then later i realized that making pizza at home wasnt a tough job.Once i started baking bread at home, i tried making pizza at home and every time i make pizza, it was a big hit at home. Now i dont run behind the store bought ones, pizza dough can be prepared a day before and they are conserved very well in fridge.

Homemade pizzas are always the best and you can mix and match the ingredients according to your wish with vegetables and cheese available in your fridge.Coming to this pizza margherita, its one of the easiest pizza i have never prepared, and the basil leaves gives a wonderful flavour to this easy peasy pizza.Pizza Margherita belongs to Campania region of Italy and this pizza is well known all around the world. Obviously i chosed to bake them as am guest hosting this month's International Food Challenge ,a monthly event started by two wonderful food bloggers Sara and Shobana and the cuisine of this month is Campania cuisine of Italy.

Recipe Source: Rustico Cooking
For the dough:
3 +1/4 cups Bread flour
1tsp Instant yeast
1tbsp Fine sea salt
Extra-virgin olive oil for greasing the bowl
Flour (for dusting)

For the topping:
4tsps Extra-virgin olive oil
1cup Canned chopped Italian plum tomatoes
1/2tsp Fine sea salt
3/4 pound Fresh Mozzarella(sliced)
16nos Basil leaves (chopped)

Make the dough:
Mix the flour, yeast, and salt in a food processor. With the motor running, add enough warm water (about 1 and 1/4 cups) to make a soft dough that rides the blade.

Process for 45 seconds. Add a little water if the dough is dry or a little flour if it is sticky.

Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough in it, shape into a ball and wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour.

 Meanwhile, preheat the oven with a baking stone in it to 400°F.

Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Shape into 4 balls on a lightly floured counter. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes (this allows the gluten to relax, making stretching easier).

Using a rolling pin (or your hands for a lighter texture), roll into medium sized circles, the edges should be slightly higher than the center.

Top the pizza:
Place 1 circle on greased baking tray or in a baking sheet lined over a baking tray.

Spoon on 1/4 cup of the tomatoes and spread gently with the back of a spoon (pressing will make the dough stick to the peel). Season with a pinch the salt.

Top with one quarter of the Mozzarella and sliced basil leaves.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and the mozzarella is bubbling.

Continue in the same manner with the remaining ingredients and serve warm.

Makes four 11-inch pizzas