Sunday- Pizza Margherita

Almost everyone who watched Eat, Pray, Love would talk much on the EAT part of the movie-the culinary tour of  Elizabeth Gilbert. Pizza Margherita was one of the Italian dish ate by Julia Robert and the thin luscious pizza looked irresistible and I'm one of millions who drooled over this mouth-watering dish. 

Since L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele is in Naples, Italy, which is thousand miles from here, I decided to make this pizza myself. But I doubt it'll be good as one in Naples. Hehe  But at least I've got some guides [cookbook recipe] to try approximate it to the real deal. For those who's going to Italy,please eat this pizza for me..plish..hehe

I never had pizza Margherita before, and I barely know where I could find one in SG. Instead of looking out for local pizzeria that sell this kindda pizza, it's better for me to knead the dough, spread the EASY topping and bake it MYSELF. The ingredients and way-to-do-it are so simple that you can almost close your eyes making it hehe..  [I kid you not.] I love the taste of this simple pizza, with just charred cherry tomato sauce, basil and loads of mozarella cheese as topping. No extra 'accessories'. Almost has similar concept with Pissaladière [French's old white anchovies pizza]. 

My father is a foodie himself and he always mentioned about the "less is more" foods. You know, food with simple and small ingredients, but has KABOOM tastes. And this pizza really reflects that phrase well. I wish I could send some to my father.  From now on, arrivederci [good bye] to those complicated menus of PizzaHoot and DominoEffect so called pizzeria hehe I will definitely baked this pizza again and again. 

So today, I baked one small stuffed Pizza Margherita as Adam's lunch. Went easy on the mozzarella, coz I didn't want to end up changing his diaper every hours. He loves cheese so much but if he over eats it, he'll ended up with several visits to the small room. Hehe As for me, I ate few bites from Adam's pizza. Hubby will gets to eat it tonight as his dinner. I'll double the mozzarella amount as it taste soooo well with the chunky onion+tomato spread below. I'm salivating at the thoughts of this pizza as I'm writing this up. Ohh how I wish I wasn't on diet now T_T

I got the recipe from the KA cookbook ;)

Will update the recipe later since it's 1.18am in the morning and the book is in the kitchen. hehe 


Update {8 Dec 2010}:


Dough
375g of strong white bread flour [ I used bread flour]
1/2 tspn salt
I packet of yeast [7g]
2 tbsp olive oil
250ml/11/3 cup tepid water


Topping
1 can of tomato sauce- [ i made my own tomato sauce, melt a knob of butter inside pan, saute onion, [don't brown the onion], pour the diced tomato inside, put thyme, pepper, salt after that and let it simmer until the sauce reduced]
fresh basil - I used ground basil
mozarella cheese- up to you 
olive oil


Way to do it [using KA mixer]: [you can choose to knead with hands/buy ready made dough]


Mix Flour, yeast and salt inside the mixing bowl. Using speed 1, let it mix for 30 seconds. 
Then pour olive oil and water gradually, then turned to speed 2 for 2,3 minutes. if the dough still sticky, pour more flour. But not too many, otherwise you'll be eating a hard rock base ;p
Make sure the dough is smooth and a lil bit sticky. 


Let the dough rest and double for 1 hour or more. Preheat your oven @ 220C. 


Knead the dough again for 1 mins and take out your rolling pin and start rolling. remember to pour some flour to smooth your job. 


Spread the tomato sauce. Do not wet the dough. 


Put inside oven for 10 mins. 


Take out, pour some mozarella cheese, more cheese means more yummy! 


Bake another 10 or less, until it turned brown. 


Serve while warm.