another pizza obsession

Is this getting creepy?  Is it just me? 
I know I have a bit of an obsession for pizza but really just one in particular. . . 
The simple Margarita Pizza.... When you get down to the real thing watch out!! 
What do I mean? I can't tell you how many Sunday night's we've enjoyed that melted, cheesy & saucy mix on perfect dough this spring already. The warmer months provide a nice variety of fresh herbs and tomatoes that send my salivary glads into a bliss you either know or don't and should try very very hard to get to.
Now, PLEASE don't even think about your typical American delivery pizza okay... that would be an insult. I'm talking just a few ingredients, and a nice glass of wine. 


Dough: 

• water
• yeast
• flour
• salt
• olive oil

Sauce: 


1 - 8 oz. can pure tomato sauce (no additives, no flavor) *
salt
pepper
olive oil


Use fresh WHOLE milk mozzarella. I use a proper amount because I'm a bit crazy in love.  Drizzle with olive oil, and top with fresh basil. Don't be afraid to add the olive oil. It's fun. 
I also sometimes add oregano but that's optional.
The simpler the better. God food comes from simple whole ingredients.
Normally, I don't have my camera around for this. It's rare because by the time I've gone through the entire process I'm ready to eat and not take photos. This was taken one afternoon recently when on a whim I wanted pizza for lunch. That's why they are so small - they are individual pizza. (click on photo to see in full size)  So that's it. Thanks for stopping by.

*Why tomato in a can? Because ours from the garden aren't ready yet!
Note: chefs prefer San Marzano tomatoes.

So... This is how I like to get into the mood. This guy has some fancy moves. 

It's all in the wrist my dear. Enjoy, and till next time. 

Perfect NYC Pizza

I used this recipe, no mixer, and tweak it a bit from use to use depending on how much time I have. It always comes out delicious.

Yields: 1 large or 2 small pizzas

Prep Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 teaspoon (1 package) instant dry active yeast
• 1 cup warm water (not hot!)
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 3 cups bread flour, or as needed
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

1. Add the water, yeast, sugar, and a 1/2 cup of the flour into a mixing bowl. Stir well and let sit for 20 minutes. It will get bubbly.
2. Add olive oil, salt, and 2 cups of the flour, and mix with a wooden spoon until it's together enough to turn out on to a lightly floured work surface to knead.
3. Knead for about 10 minutes, while adding more flour a little at a time, to produce a soft, elastic and slightly sticky dough. Do not add too much flour, just enough to keep it from sticking to the work surface as you knead.
4. Form the dough into a ball and place in a large oiled bowl. Drizzle a few drops of oil and coat the top of dough to prevent the surface from becoming dry.
5. Cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm spot for 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
6. Punch down the dough and divide into 2 balls and place in large zip lock plastic bags and refrigerate overnight.
7. When ready to use, remove from fridge, and let the dough come up to room temperature before using.