Anonymous 2-7-2005

3/4 pound pizza dough

semolina or cornmeal for dusting

1 tablespoon olive oil, preferably extra virgin

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 ounces mozzarella, cheese, sliced 1/8 inch thick

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Place a pizza stone, baking tiles or an inverted baking sheet on the bottom or

on the lowest rack of a cold oven; preheat for 30 minutes to 500F or the

highest setting. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and pat into a disk.

Use a rolling pin or your hands to roll or stretch the dough into a circle that

is 1/4 inch thick and 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to a semolina or

cornmeal dusted pizza peel or inverted baking sheet. Brush the dough with a

little of the olive oil to the edge. Spread tomato sauce over the dough to

within 1/2 inch of the edge. Distribute mozzarella slices over the tomato sauce

and season with salt and pepper. Arrange basil leaves over the mozzarella,

reserving a few for garnish if you wish. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Drizzle with

the remaining olive oil. Carefully slide the pizza onto the heated pizza stone

and bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the bottom is crisp and browned and the

top is bubbling. Garnish with the reserved basil leaves, if desired.