Pizza Pietro

The Equipment:
Pizza Stone
Pizza Peel
Dough Scraper

The Ingredients:
Dough:
1 packet active dry yeast
4 cups unbleached flour
1.5 cups water
2 drops molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Topping:
2 tablespoons cornmeal
3 cloves garlic sliced
1 medium-size can whole plum tomatoes (pelati)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon capers
pinch hot pepper flakes
6 ounces fresh mozzarella sliced
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
8 basil leaves

Although the pizza can be cooked in a regular oven, a convection oven most closely replicates the wood burning stoves of Naples. In either case be sure to put a pizza stone in the oven at 500 degrees F. at least one half hour before baking.

Prepare the dough by stirring the yeast, salt and molasses into the water. With a wooden spoon mix in the oil and flour a cup at a time. Mix until you have a bread-like dough (you may add a bit of water if the dough becomes too dry to work). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise until double (several hours). Punch down then remove dough onto a floured board and divide in half with dough scraper, putting half back in bowl for second pizza. Sprinkle dough with flour and start to roll out into pizza shape, making it as thin as possible without tearing the dough.

Sprinkle corn meal on peel then place rolled-out dough on peel. Scatter half of the garlic, salt, hot pepper, Parmesan, mozzarella and capers onto dough. Cut up half of the tomatoes and distribute over the other ingredients. Drizzle half of olive oil over pizza. Open oven and slide pizza off peel onto the pizza stone. It should take about 15-20 minutes to bake. Keep an eye on it! You’ll know when it looks right!!! While the first pizza is baking prepare the second pizza. When the first pizza is ready, remove, place four basil leaves on top and cut pizza into four pieces with a scissors. Put in second pizza, open bottle of red wine and mangia!!!!!