Only a few ingredients are needed for this delectable pizza: tomatoes, mozzarello cheese, and green basil, representing the colors of the Italian flag. In her article, "Margherita Pizza," in the 2003 issue of Cuisine at Home, Pamela Sheldon Johns tells the history of this simple dish. A bread maker created it especially in honor of Italy's Queen Margherita when she visited Naples in 1889. Apparently the queen loved the dish and Italian cooks still use it.
Pizza Stone and Pizza Peel
First make your own dough using a basic pizza dough or French bread recipe of your choice. For best results use a pizza stone and peel. The stone will absorb the heat and maintain the temperature, making the dough more crisp and crunchy than a pizza pan.
A pizza peel is a flat wooden shelf with a wooden handle that is used to slide the pizza dough onto the stone to bake and off the stone when it's done. Put the pizza stone on the lowest shelf of the oven. Heat the oven and pizza stone to 550 degrees and shape the dough by pushing and pulling or rolling it with a rolling pin. When it's 9 to 12 inches in diameter, slide the dough onto the pizza peel which has been dusted with plenty of cornmeal.
Slice or chop three or four fresh tomatoes and place them evenly on the dough. Canned chopped tomatoes can be used instead of fresh tomatoes. Place thin slices of Mozzarella on top of the tomatoes. Drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle a little salt on top of the pizza.
Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone in the oven and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until the edges are brown and crispy and the cheese is melted. Slide the pizza onto the peel. Use scissors to cut thin strips of eight to ten basil leaves. Sprinkle the basil strips on top of the Mozzarella. Now the pizza has all the colors of the Italian flag, just as the original Pizza that Queen Marguerita had. Cut into slices and enjoy.
Flatbread Pizza Snack
Commercial flatbread is a satisfactory substitute for homemade pizza dough if time is short. It's also good for a quick lunch or snack. Pepperoni, olives, meat, mushrooms, and other favorite pizza toppings can be added for those who want them, but Pizza Marguerita is delicious with only the basic ingredients.
Pizza Marguerite is an easy, healthy, and satisfying treat for family and friends. Use homemade pizza dough, french bread dough, or flatbread. Just be sure to dust the pizza shelf liberally with corn meal so it will slide easily onto the pizza stone. There probably won't be leftovers, but if there should be, just save them for snacks tomorrow.
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