Main Dishes

Crowd Pleasing Margherita Pizza + Easy Pizza Sauce {Recipe}

October 25, 2019

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My family loves our weekly pizza night. Homemade pizza is something I have been working to get just right for a while and have finally figured out how to bake the perfect pie. Creating a crust with the perfect texture, selecting the right cheese, and making the perfect sauce have all been a part of the process. All along the way, Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast has been my go-to for creating the best dough for my pizza base. I love this product because it’s simple to use and the dough is ready in 10 minutes. It eliminates the time consuming part of waiting hours for dough to rise yet still results in a super delicious result every time.

Margherita pizza is my family’s favorite type of pizza. I remember the first time we had this style of pizza on our summer vacation several years ago. The fresh mozzarella and basil on top of a wood fired crust seemed so simple but was the most delicious pizza we had ever tasted. I continually try to replicate this pizza using the freshest ingredients along with Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast so we can have the pizzeria taste we love at home. I also always prepare my own sauce because I prefer it to the store bought varieties. It only takes a couple minutes to make while being fully customizable with spices.

Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast keeps pizza nights at home easy and super efficient which is perfect for busy families at dinner time. I have shared my favorite margherita pizza recipe below along with Fleischmann’s® beginner pizza base that’s ready in just 30 minutes! The recipe can easily be doubled to yield two large pizzas to feed a crowd or large families.

Crowd Pleasing Margherita Pizza + Easy Pizza Sauce

Pizza Crust

1-3/4 to 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 envelope Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup very warm water (120° to 130°F)*
3 tablespoons Canola oil

Sauce & Toppings

15 oz Canned Tomato Sauce
6 oz Tomato Paste
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
8 oz Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, sliced in thin equal slices (be sure to choose fresh whole milk mozzarella – not pre-shreddred)
Fresh Basil
Olive Oil (for drizzling on top)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.

To make the crust first combine 1 cup flour, 1 undissolved envelope of yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.

Add very warm water (not overly hot) and oil to mixture. If your water is too warm it could kill the yeast so be sure to follow package instructions and use a thermometer if possible. Mix until well blended, about 1 minute. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Dough should form a ball and will be slightly sticky.

Knead on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Spread the dough to fill greased pizza pan or non-stick baking sheet. Form a rim by pinching the edge of the dough.

To create the pizza sauce, whisk together tomato paste and tomato sauce in a medium bowl. Add in spices. You will have about 2 cups total. Spread 1/2 cup to 1 cup of sauce over crust and save the remainder for another use. Cover top of pizza with fresh mozzarella slices.

Bake on lowest oven rack for about 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is evenly browned.