Pizza Margherita

From Cooking Light May 2010

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 2 wedges)

Ingredients

• 1  cup  warm water (100° to 110°), divided
• 10  ounce  bread flour (about 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
• 1  package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 4  teaspoons  olive oil
• 3/4  teaspoon  kosher salt, divided
• Cooking spray
• 1  tablespoon  yellow cornmeal
• 3/4  cup  Basic Pizza Sauce
• 1 1/4  cups  (5 ounces) thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1/3  cup  small fresh basil leaves

Preparation

1. Pour 3/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and spoons; level with a knife. Add flour to 3/4 cup water; mix until combined. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. Combine remaining 1/4 cup water and yeast in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly. Add yeast mixture, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to flour mixture; mix 5 minutes or until a soft dough forms. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; cover surface of dough with plastic wrap lightly coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate 24 hours.

2. Remove dough from refrigerator. Let stand, covered, 1 hour or until dough comes to room temperature. Punch dough down. Press dough out to a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured baking sheet, without raised sides, sprinkled with cornmeal. Crimp edges to form a 1/2-inch border. Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap.

3. Position an oven rack in the lowest setting. Place a pizza stone on lowest rack. Preheat oven to 550°. Preheat the pizza stone for 30 minutes before baking dough.

4. Remove plastic wrap from dough. Sprinkle dough with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread Basic Pizza Sauce evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Arrange cheese slices evenly over pizza. Slide pizza onto preheated pizza stone, using a spatula as a guide. Bake at 550° for 11 minutes or until the crust is golden. Cut pizza into 10 wedges, and sprinkle evenly with basil.