Master Pizza Dough & Margherita Pizza Topping

Pizza Dough:

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water in a large bowl. Set aside until yeast begins to activate (it will foam a little), about 10 minutes. Combine flours and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

Add 1 cup of the flour mixture to yeast and stir well with a wooden spoon or your hands. Mix in 1/2 cup water, then add another cup flour mixture and continue to stir. Add remaining 1 cup flour mixture, then gradually stir in about 1/4 cup water and mix well. The dough should be fairly soft, but not too wet.

Turn out dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead with the heels of your palms until it has a smooth, uniform texture, about 10–12 minutes. Divide dough into 2 even balls. Coat the insides of two medium bowls with 1/2 tsp. olive oil each. Place dough in bowls, cover bowls with damp cloths or plastic wrap, and set aside to rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 1/2–3 hours.

Place pizza stone or unglazed tile in oven and preheat at highest setting (not broil). Sprinkle a baker’s peel or inverted baking sheet with cornmeal. Punch down dough from one bowl, make a ball, and flatten it on the pan. Taking care not to overwork dough, stretch it into a thin 12" circle with a slightly raised edge.

Drop tomatoes in a medium pot of boiling water for 10 seconds, then cool in a bowl of cold water. Slice off tops, slip off skins, and squeeze out seeds. Finely chop tomatoes.

Place tomatoes in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and drain for 20 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, stir in basil and olive oil (and tomato purée, if needed), and adjust seasoning. Spread tomato mixture evenly over pizza dough, place mozzarella slices on top, and bake at highest setting for 12–15 minutes.

Add Margherita topping and slide onto hot pizza stone.

Bake until crust is golden brown and crisp, about 12–15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare second pizza. Remove first pizza from oven and bake the second on the same stone. Drizzle a little olive oil on each and serve.