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Ingredients
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Dough & prep
Red sauce
Cheese & toppings
Finish
Method
Dough & prep
- 1
Preheat and prepare
Place a pizza stone or an inverted heavy baking sheet on the middle rack. Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes so the stone/sheet is very hot.
- 2
Portion the dough
Lightly flour a work surface and sprinkle the cornmeal or flour. Divide the 500 g dough into two equal pieces (about 250 g each) for two small pizzetas. Let each piece rest 10 minutes if the dough resists stretching.
- 3
- 4
Red sauce
- 5
Make a quick sauce
In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm 1 tbs olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant (do not brown). Add the 240 ml crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp dried oregano, 0.5 tsp kosher salt, a pinch of black pepper and the optional 1 tsp sugar. Stir and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- 6
Cool slightly
Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool for a couple of minutes so it spreads easily on the dough without making it soggy.
Cheese & toppings
- 7
Assemble the pizzetas
Spoon about 3–4 tbs of the red sauce onto each shaped dough, spreading to within about 1/2 inch (1 cm) of the edge. Distribute the fresh mozzarella evenly over the sauce and sprinkle the 40 g grated Parmesan on top. Add a light pinch of red pepper flakes to each if you like heat.
- 8
Bake
Slide the parchment with the assembled pizzeta onto the preheated stone or inverted baking sheet. Bake each pizzeta for 7–10 minutes, rotating halfway, until the crust is blistered and golden and the cheese is melted and bubbling. Bake pizzas one or two at a time depending on oven size and stone.
Finish
- 9
Finish and serve
When the pizzeta comes out of the oven, immediately scatter fresh basil leaves on top, drizzle with the 0.5 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, and grind a bit of black pepper. Let rest 2 minutes, then slice and serve hot.
