#1 Tomato & Cheese Recipe

Activate yeast and combine

In a medium bowl, whisk warm water (about 105–115°F / 40–46°C) with sugar and instant yeast. Let sit 5 minutes until slightly foamy. If no foam, yeast may be inactive — use fresh yeast.

Make dough

In a large mixing bowl combine flour and salt. Add the foamy yeast mixture and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 7–10 minutes until smooth and elastic (or use a stand mixer with dough hook 5–7 minutes). Dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky; add up to 1–2 tablespoons flour if too sticky.

First rise

Lightly oil a clean bowl, place dough in bowl turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm place 60–75 minutes, until doubled in size.

Shape

Punch down the dough, transfer to a lightly floured surface and divide if making more than one pizza. For a single 12–14" pizza, gently stretch or roll dough into a 12-inch round, leaving a slightly thicker rim. Place on a pizza peel or baking sheet lined with parchment or cornmeal.

Prepare sauce

In a small bowl combine crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt and black pepper. Stir until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. The sauce should be slightly seasoned and not watery. If watery, simmer briefly in a small saucepan for 5–8 minutes to thicken, then cool.

Prepare tomatoes

Thinly slice fresh tomatoes and place in a single layer on paper towels. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and let drain 10 minutes to remove excess moisture, then pat dry with another paper towel.

Preheat oven

Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. If you do not have a hot oven, preheat to 475°F (245°C) and allow longer bake time.

Assemble pizza

Brush the stretched dough lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread an even layer of the prepared tomato sauce over the dough, leaving a 1/2–3/4 inch rim. Sprinkle about half of the shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce. Arrange the drained fresh tomato slices over the cheese in a single layer. Scatter remaining mozzarella over the tomatoes. Finish with grated parmesan and a light sprinkle of cracked black pepper and optional red pepper flakes.

Bake

Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet and bake 8–12 minutes at 500°F (260°C) (or 10–14 minutes at 475°F/245°C), until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling and lightly browned in spots. Rotate halfway through baking for even color.

Finish and serve

Remove pizza from oven and let rest 2 minutes. Scatter fresh basil leaves over the top and drizzle with remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil if desired. Slice and serve hot. Optional: add a final sprinkle of coarse salt to taste.