Cooking with Catherine- Margherita Pizza

Nothing is better than a gourmet pizza, and cooking pizza at home is easy and the results are delightful!  Because Kate reportedly enjoys Margarita Pizza, having been caught bringing home a store bought version from Pizza Express, we’re sharing a recipe from Jamie Oliver.

The recipe calls for a store bought pizza crust, making your life easier.  I have had my fair share of kidney bean shaped pizzas in the past, so to keep you from having the same problem, here are my tips:

• Bring the dough to room temperature before you use it.
• Keep lots of flour on hand to coat the dough, your hands, the rolling pin, and the table.
• Work the dough into a ball, then pull back edge pieces and tuck them into the back to create a smooth surface on top.
• Hold the ball vertically, pinching the top edges and rotating the dough in a circle.  This will begin to stretch it out.
• Once it’s about 8 inches wide, toss it down on a floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin.  Then flip it and roll out the other side.
• Then you should be able to stretch it out the final bit using your knuckles underneath the dough.

Serve your pizza with a side salad for a lovely dinner at home for two!

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Spray a large pan down with the Cooking Spray and sprinkle Cornmeal on it, lightly coating the pan.  Spread your pizza dough out on the pan (using my method above to stretch it), working it into the corners.

Mix the Tomatoes in a bowl with the Garlic, Oregano, Olive Oil, and Salt and Pepper to taste. Scatter the Tomato mixture on top of the dough leaving an inch boarder clear.  Top with the Cheese and Basil and drizzle the pizza with a bit of Olive Oil.

Bake the pizza for 10-15 minutes, or until the base is golden and crisp.  Serve immediately.

*** Shawn is a contributing writer for What Would Kate Do.  She also writes her own blog, The Healthy Helping, sharing her favorite recipes and musings on food. ***