Margherita Pan Pizza with Fresh Tomato Sauce
With pizza, it's all about the crust. In this case, it's dough allowed to ferment in a fridge for an entire day before topping with garlic, basil, and fresh tomato sauce. This version is vegan, but you can substitute dairy parmesan and mozzarella and vary it up with any toppings you prefer. (Photo source: Lauren Skillen)
Ingredients
dough
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105-110F)
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
sauce
1 pound fresh tomatoes (or 1 14-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes without their juices)
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3-5 fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
toppings
4 ounces grated vegan parmesan, divided
3/4 cup pizza sauce
1-2 sliced fresh heirloom tomatoes
8 ounces vegan mozzarella, such as Miyokos, broken up into bite-sized pieces
Drizzle of olive oil
Handful of fresh basil leaves
Preparation
Prepare the dough 24 hours before you plan to make the pizza. Add the yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer, pour the warm water over the yeast, and let stand until the yeast starts to foam.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 cup of the flour. Attach the dough hook and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the other cup of flour, mixing until combined, about 3 minutes.
Increase the speed to medium, and mix until the dough starts to pull away from sides of bowl, about 5–6 minutes, adding a tablespoon of extra flour at a time, if necessary. The dough will still be sticky even when it’s done.
Lightly oil a large bowl, add the dough, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for about 24 hours—time which will help develop flavor.
Coat a 9x13-inch rimmed baking sheet or similar sized baking dish with 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the dough and let sit 10 minutes to allow the dough time to relax. Then, use your hands to press and stretch dough into the edges and corners. If it springs back, wait five minutes and repeat the process until the dough cooperates.
Cover the baking sheet with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let it sit in a warm place until it puffs up slightly, about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 500F with the rack placed in the middle.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Bring a small saucepan with water to a boil over high heat. Have a bowl of ice water prepared on the side.
Score the bottom of the fresh tomatoes with a shallow “x.” Add the tomatoes to the water and boil for about 2 minutes until the tomato skins start to visibly peel and separate. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomatoes to the ice water.
Once cool enough to handle, peel and add the tomatoes to a small blender or food processor. Add the garlic, olive oil, basil leaves, salt, and pepper. Blend or pulse until mostly smooth to preserve some texture.
Once dough has rested for 30 minutes, assemble the pizza by adding half of the parmesan cheese, followed by 3/4 cup of the sauce, dolloped evenly over the pizza. Follow with the fresh tomato slices, dabs of mozzarella, the rest of the parmesan, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Transfer pizza to the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the sauce and cheese are bubbling.
Allow the pizza to cool for a few minutes, top with fresh basil, and serve.
Zero-waste tips
The sauce recipe yields 1 1/2 cups, which is enough for two pizzas, so the extra half can be stored in the freezer and ready for your next pizza night.
The sauce is the perfect use for overripe tomatoes or wilted basil that are almost past their prime.
Save the peeled tomato skins in the freezer along with other vegetable scraps for homemade broth.
Feel free to vary the toppings by adding vegetables that you need to use up.
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