Pizza Margherita

Name: Pizza Margherita
Yield: Serves 4 to 6 (Makes two 12-inch pizzas)
Ingredients: 1 1/4 teaspoons, instant yeast; 1 cup, water (8 ounces), room temperature; 1 3/4 cups, unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces), plus extra for dusting work surface and peel; 1 cup, cake flour (4 ounces); 1 1/2 teaspoons, table salt; 2 teaspoons, sugar; , 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes; 1/2 teaspoon, sugar; 1 small clove, garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (optional); 1/4 cup, chopped fresh basil; 1/4 teaspoon, Table salt; 8 ounces, fresh mozzarella cheese (see note above), cut into 1-inch chunks; 2 teaspoons, extra virgin olive oil

Main Courses
Cheese
Pizza

Appears in Cook's Illustrated July/August 2006

Authentic recipes for this Neapolitan pizza call for an 800-degree oven, two days of proofing, and a dough expert's hands. We wanted real Margherita--hold the hassle.

SERVES 4 to 6 (Makes two 12-inch pizzas)

TIME 1¼ hours, plus 1 hour rising

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