Quick Rise Pizza Margherita With Topping Variations Recipes

MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Make the Sauce: In a medium bowl, stir together the tomatoes, garlic, salt, sugar, pepper, and oil. (Alternatively, for a completely smooth sauce, you can blend the ingredients in a small food processor or blender.)
• Preheat the oven to 500°F and set an oven rack in the bottom position. Dust a 13x18-inch baking sheet with half of the cornmeal.
• On a lightly floured surface, using your hands, stretch and press one ball of dough into an 11-inch round. Transfer the dough to the cornmeal-dusted baking sheet, and gently stretch it out again so that it maintains its shape.
• Spread ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 7 minutes, until the crust is partially cooked. Remove from the oven, and scatter half of the mozzarella cubes over the sauce, followed by half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Slide the pan back into the oven and cook until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 4 minutes more. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Sprinkle with the basil and slice. Repeat with the remaining pizza dough and ingredients. (If you'd like to bake the two pizzas at the same time, you can fire up two ovens. Or, if you don't mind the crust a little thicker, you can form the two dough balls into 8x12-inch rectangles and place them side by side on the baking sheet.)
• Note: This recipe makes enough sauce for 4 (11-inch) pizzas. Refrigerate extra sauce for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

QUICK RISE PIZZA MARGHERITA (WITH TOPPING VARIATIONS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°, and spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle a little cornmeal over the spray.
• Heat water in microwave for 20 seconds, or use hot tap water heated to 110 - 120 degrees. Add white sugar and sea salt. Stir to dissolve.
• Add yeast, stir to dissolve, and cover with a towel. Let proof for 10 minutes. (The yeast should bubble and puff up, if not, then your yeast is no good. Start over with new yeast.).
• Combine flour and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl, add yeast mixture, and stir with a spoon until you can no longer stir it. Now use your hands to continue mixing and kneading the dough ball. Use additional flour on your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Knead dough for at least 10 minutes, then shape dough into one large round, or divide into four pieces for individual pies, and place on cookie sheet.
• Brush a thin coat of olive oil over dough, and then spread on sauce.
• Sprinkle sauce with Italian seasoning, cheese, basil and tomatoes.
• Cook for 5 - 10 minutes, but watch closely after 5 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before slicing.

PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Make dough:.
• Stir together yeast, 1 Tbsp flour, and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl and let stand until surface appears creamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't appear creamy, discard and start over with new yeast.).
• Add 1 1/4 cups flour, remaining 1/2 cup water, salt, and oil and stir until smooth. Stir in enough flour (1/4 to 1/3 cup) for dough to begin to pull away from side of bowl. (Dough will be slightly wet.).
• Knead on a floured surface, lightly reflouring when dough becomes too sticky, until smooth, soft, and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball, put in a bowl, and dust with flour. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, about 1 1/4 hours.
• MAKE TOMATO SAUCE WHILE DOUGH RISES:
• Pulse tomatoes with juice in a blender briefly to make a chunky purée.
• Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until fragrant and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add tomato purée, basil, sugar, and 1/8 tsp salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and cool.
• HEAT PIZZA STONE WHILE DOUGH RISES:
• At least 45 minutes before baking pizza, put stone on oven rack in lower third of electric oven (or on floor of gas oven) and preheat oven to 500°F.
• SHAPE DOUGH:
• Do not punch down. Dust dough with flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined pizza peel or large baking sheet. Pat out dough evenly with your fingers and stretch into a 14-inch round, reflouring fingers if necessary.
• ASSEMBLE PIZZA:
• Spread sauce over dough, leaving a 1-inch border (there may be some sauce left over). Arrange cheese on top, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border.
• Slide pizza on parchment onto pizza stone. Bake until dough is crisp and browned and cheese is golden and bubbling in spots, 13 to 16 minutes. Using peel or baking sheet, transfer pizza to a cutting board. Cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with some basil leaves before slicing.

QUICK MIX QUICK RISE PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of flour with yeast and salt.
• Pour hot water and oil into flour mixture and mix well.
• Mix in remaining flour to make a slightly sticky dough.
• Form dough into a ball.
• On a lightly floured surface - or using the dough hook on KitchenAid mixer - knead dough for about five minutes or until smooth and elastic.
• Cut dough in half; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. To make later, refrigerate the rounds of dough at this point. Bring to room temperature before rolling or stretching.
• Meanwhile, lightly oil pizza pans or sheets and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal.
• Roll dough to desired thickness and transfer to pans, or place dough directly on pan and pat and stretch to desired shape and thickness.
• Let rise for 15 minutes, a little longer if you are making a thick crust.
• Add toppings.
• Bake in 450 degree oven for 16 to 18 minutes.