Pizza Night #2 - Margherita Pizza

Last week I announced my new quest... to find the best sauce for our weekly pizza & movie nights.

This weeks recipe was MUCH better than last weeks.. but again I sort of waited until the last minute to get ready for pizza night. I decided to attempt a Margerita Pizza, so off to google I went and found a few recipes.

Let me just start by saying the trip to the store was .... different and sort of annoying. Anyway, I drove to Publix, and chatted with my mom during the 5 minute trip... as I am pulling into Publix I look to see Charlotte had fallen asleep (little one was home with Hubby). I park the car and pick her up, expecting her to wake up when I tell her she is going to ride in the 'vroom vroom car'. But she didn't. So I put her in big plastic car section (knowing when she woke up she'd be glad she was in the Car cart) and lean her against my diaper bag and head into the store.

• 14oz can whole tomatoes - check
• Garlic - check
• fresh mozzarella - check
• basil.... hmm no baggies of fresh basil....
• Ok, lets try, little basil plant (that Publix usually sells).... hmm, no plants either.
• Last shot, I asked the produce guy if they have any basil... and nope nada.

You can't make a Margherita pizza without basil (right?). Well, I didn't want to risk it.

I check out with my items (minus basil) and sleeping child, get back to the car, load the car, put sleeping child back into the car seat and put the car away.

I decide that I probably do need basil, so I drive (literally) across the street to SweetBay and carry the sleeping child into the store. As I wandered about their produce section I got nervous... no basil!? Is there a basil shortage that I do not know of? C'mon people!

FINALLY I find a little basil plant for $2.  Phew! I pay for my plant and put the STILL sleeping Charlotte back into her car seat and drive home. He, my little basil plant, now lives on top of Charlotte's Pottery Barn Kitchen refrigerator along with another plant I'm attempting to bring back to life. My thumbs are NOT GREEN! Let's hope he lives!

THIS WEEKS RECIPE
Again, I used the Publix pizza dough that I picked up in the bakery section, but I only used half of it!! Unfortunately, I goofed and as I brought it out to "rest for an hour" before baking, I didn't cover it. So the dough got sort of crusty. Mental note.... don't do that again!

Pizza Margherita
Epicurious.com
tweaked by me

• 1 (14-to 15-ounces) can whole tomatoes in juice (not sure if mine was "in juice". probably)
• 2 large garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 basil leaves plus more for sprinkling (torn)
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (or as thin as I could cut them)

Tomato Sauce: Pulse tomatoes with juice in a blender briefly to make a chunky purée.

Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until fragrant and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add tomato purée, basil, sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and cool.

I then spooned it ALL onto the dough, laid the mozzarella down (I didn't need all 6 ounces because I only made half a pizza), put more basil on top, and then added some fresh grated Parmesan.

Baked at 400* for 25 minutes.

  * * * *

PS- Hubby attempted to toss the pizza dough... but between lack of skill (no offense hunny) and the sorta crusty dried out dough, we just made holes in it. ooops.

THEN it's baking time!!

Pizza (and movie) Night #2 -- Success!
Movie: Mary Poppins
Do you have any tried and true recipes that you use for pizza night?! I would love to try them. Please email or comment to let me know.

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