Margherita Pizza

Yields: two 12-inch pizzas

Time: 30 minutes prep, 30 minutes cooking (plus 3 hours to overnight for dough rising)

INGREDIENTS:

For the dough:

• 1 1/4 cup 00 flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 cup water, room temperature

 For the pizza:

• 1 (14-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes, whole
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• Two balls of pizza dough, stretched to 12 inches (see recipe)
• 5 to 6 ounces fresh mozzarella
• 8 to 10 basil leaves, roughly torn
• Extra-virgin olive oil

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Stir together both flours and the salt in a large mixing bowl until evenly combined.
   
   
2. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the yeast and water and set aside for 3 minutes to give the yeast a chance to activate, then pour it into the dry ingredients. Mix the water into the dry ingredients until a shaggy dough forms.  Light cover with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. 
   
   
3. Transfer the dough to a very lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 6 to 8 minutes until very smooth and quite elastic – the gluten in the dough needs to be very developed to ensure it has the right stretch for shaping later. (The dough should be lightly tacky to the touch, if it’s too wet after a minute of kneading, add a small amount of flour and if it’s too dry, add a small amount of water.) Divide the kneaded dough into two equal pieces and shape them into a tight ball.  Place the dough balls on the included Baking Pan, lightly dusted with flour, and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap. 
   
   
4. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 1 hour. After 1 hour either allow the dough to continue rising at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours (until it’s at least doubled in size and soft enough to hold a dimple when pressed with a finger) or transfer to the refrigerator and let it rise for at least 12 hours.  If refrigerated, remove the dough and allow it to come to room temperature for an hour before shaping and baking the pizzas. 
   
   
5. Select the Pizza mode and preheat the Premiere Countertop Air Fry Oven at 450 F, with the oven rack set in the first position. 
   
   
6. In a medium mixing bowl, season the tomatoes with the salt and crush with your hands until the tomatoes are quite smooth, but with small pieces of tomato left for texture.
   
   
7. Working with one room temperature ball of dough at a time, lightly coat the dough and a work surface with flour – just enough so that the dough doesn’t stick when working with it, but no more than that. With both hands, use the tips of your fingers to press down on the dough, leaving 1” all around the edges to create the crust. Flip the dough over and do the same on the opposite side until the dough has reached about 8” in diameter, keeping it as close to a perfect circle as possible.
   
   
8. With one hand, hold the pizza down to the counter on one side of the circle (inside the crust). With the other hand, stretch the opposite side of the dough gently outwards and up off the work surface at about a 45-degree angle. Let the dough fall back down onto the work surface and give it a quarter turn.  Repeat this stretching, falling and turning until the dough is quite thin with a nice outside crust and about 12” in diameter, taking care not to have any holes in the dough.  (If you do, simply pinch them back together.)
   
   
9. Transfer the stretched dough to the included Pizza Pan, and make sure there is just enough flour on the bottom of the pan that the dough moves freely. Put 3 to 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce on the center of the dough and use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly across the dough but avoiding getting any on the outside crust.  Cut or hand tear the mozzarella into pieces about 2 inches in size and scatter them on top of the sauce.  Top with a small handful of the torn basil and a drizzle of olive oil. 
   
   
10. Transfer the pizza to the oven and cook for about 5 to 9 (this will depend on how thin the crust is) or until the crust is well brown on the edges and the bottom, with the cheese lightly bubbling. Cut and serve warm immediately, repeating with the second pizza. 

TIPS:

For pizza in a hurry, let the dough rise in a fraction of the time using the Proof setting on Premiere Countertop Air Fry Oven.  Set the temperature to 85 F and proof until it reaches the size and texture described in the recipe.  (Only cover the dough with plastic wrap, not a towel for this option!)

This dough freezes great, so feel free to make a double or triple batch to save some for later.  Simply allow the dough to rise to the desired size and texture, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze.  They’ll be great for up to 2 months!