Nello's Famous Pizza Recipe
Making pizza is an art of the highest form. There are so many ways to prepare the dough, so many ways to cook the pizza, so many toppings, combination of toppings, or, as I prefer, absence of toppings; there are a variety of sauces. It truly is free-form culinary art. Pizza is really just a plate on which we sprinkle deliciousness. Let’s take a look at my favorite way to cook pizza at home. I recommend pizza for two occasions, for family and friends, or for preparing after a frustrating day. The first is obvious, but why the second? Because preparing the dough is therapeutic. The beating, twisting, and kneading? Instant stress removal. This is as much a part of the enjoyment of pizza as is the flavor.
Ingredients for 14”-16” pizza:
Yeast
Flour
Salt
Olive Oil
Tomato Sauce (Why not buy a jar of Nello's Sauce here?)
Shredded Cheese (blends or just mozzarella)
Fresh Basil Leaves (dry will suffice)
Recipe
1. First, in a mixing bowl, pour 1/2 cup of warm water, add 1/2 teaspoon of dry yeast, and a 1/2 teaspoon of flour. Stir until all is mixed. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Add 1 1/4 cups of flour and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Knead until a dough ball is formed. (You might need to sprinkle on more water or more flour to balance.)
3. Place dough in a lightly oiled covered bowl (use plastic wrap if you do not have a cover) for 45 minutes.
4. Knead again for 3 to 4 minutes. Return to covered bowl and let rest for 30 minutes more.
5. Set oven to 500 degrees.
6. Very lightly oil a pizza tray (nonstick, preferably) and then stretch dough on tray, leaving a bit more on the edges to form a nice crust. The dough must be very thin.
7. Top with tomato sauce (not too much, just enough that the color of the dough is still visible through the sauce itself). Spread the shredded cheese evenly over the pizza and place the fresh basil on top of the cheese (you may use scissors to cut the basil into fine pieces).
8. Place pizza on tray on the bottom rack of the oven for 10 minutes. Once 10 minutes have passed, remove pizza from tray and place directly on rack for 2 minutes or until pizza takes on desired look.
9. Serve right away or set aside to reheat at a later time. To some, Nello's Pizza reheated tastes better, having a crispier crust.
Pizzeria Brandi's Famous Pizza Margherita, Napoli.
Click to buy Nello's Sauce for your pizza!
Fresh basil? Fresh Mozzarella? Homemade dough? Yes.
