Margherita

Sauce

1. Crush by hand. Tip the [[tomatoes]] tomatoes into a bowl and squeeze them through your fingers. Leave it chunky; don’t blend.
2. Season. Mix in some salt, a splash of olive oil and a few torn basil leaves. Taste and add more salt if it needs it.
   • If the can is very watery, pour off some of the thin juice first, or the center of the pizza will go soggy.

Prep the cheese

Fresh mozzarella holds a lot of water. Tear it into chunks about an hour ahead and let it drain in a strainer (or on paper towels) in the fridge. Pat dry before using.

Build

1. Stretch the dough ball to about 12 inches, keeping a puffy rim.
2. Top in this order: spread the sauce thin, leaving the rim bare. Add a few basil leaves, sprinkle pecorino, drizzle olive oil, then scatter the mozzarella. Keep it light in the middle.

Bake: outdoor oven

1. Preheat to 800–900°F on the stone, checked with an infrared thermometer.
2. Bake 60–90 seconds, turning the pizza every 15–20 seconds so the side by the flame doesn’t burn.
3. Done when the rim is puffed with leopard spots and the cheese has melted.

Bake: home oven

A home oven can’t get close to outdoor-oven heat, so the crust will be paler and a bit crisper. It’s still a good pizza.

1. Preheat at the oven’s max (500–550°F) for 45–60 minutes with a baking steel or stone on the top rack, about 6 inches below the broiler.
2. Bake 6–8 minutes, until the bottom is browned.
3. Switch to broil for the last 1–2 minutes to color the rim and top. Watch it closely; it goes fast.
   • With the longer bake, fresh mozzarella can release water. Add it halfway through the bake if the center keeps going soggy.

Finish

Top with a few fresh basil leaves and a little more grated pecorino. A drizzle of balsamic glaze is really good on this too.