Tomato-Basil Pizza

One of the worlds best-loved herbs, basil is often paired with tomatoes in Italian preparations, such as this pizza. The flavor of fresh basil dissipates rapidly with cooking, so sprinkle the torn leaves on the pizza after removing it from the oven.

Ingredients

1. Dough for one 12-inch pizza
2. Cornmeal for dusting
3. Cornmeal for dusting
4. Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
5. 6 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced or 1/4 cup tomato sauce
6. 1/3 lb. mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
7. Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Place a cast-iron pizza pan in an oven and preheat to 450ºF.
2. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch round. Lightly dust a baking peel with cornmeal and lay the dough on top. Lightly brush the dough with olive oil and spread the tomatoes evenly on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Lay the cheese slices evenly over the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza pan. Bake until the bottom of the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the pizza with the basil. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 2.

Notes