Baking Fresh Mozzarella Pizza

Directions

Remove pizza dough from refrigerator and packaging. Place dough in an oiled bowl, roll dough to coat with oil. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Allow to rest and come to room temperature for about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Heat pizza sauce in a small saucepan.

Using your hands or a rolling pin, press or roll dough into a round shape stretching and working with your fingers and hands as you go. Perfection is not necessary here. Pizza will taste amazing no matter what shape it is. Transfer dough to a pizza pan or pizza peal that has been lightly coated with semolina flour. Drizzle dough with olive oil.

Ladle a few spoonfuls of sauce onto dough. Spread over dough leaving about an inch around the edges. Place slices of mozzarella atop the sauce (we used about 11-12 slices for a 14-inch pie). Add a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Bake in oven for about 10-14 minutes until edges of dough are browned and crusty and cheese is melted and bubbling, center will be a little looser.

Remove from oven, allow to set for 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil, slice and serve hot.

For variations: Drizzle hot chili oil instead of olive oil. Add pepperoni or sautéed mushrooms to your pizza. When straight from the oven try adding a few slices of prosciutto