Garlic and Basil Pizza

1 recipe basic pizza dough*
1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes, drained well and diced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sweet basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
½ pound mozzarella cheese, diced
½ cup diced feta cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, basil, oregano, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle and place in an oiled pizza pan. Push the edges up to make a thin rim about ¼ inch high. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Spread the tomato mixture evenly on top of the pizza dough, then spread the feta and mozzarella cheeses and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Serves 4 to 5


Pizza Dough:

1 envelope active dry yeast
1 ¾ cups warm water, divided
1 teaspoon sugar
3 ½ cups bread flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons olive oil, plus extra to oil the bowl
3 ½ cups bread flour
2 teaspoons white vinegar

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix the yeast with 1 cup of the warm water, sugar, and ½ cup of bread flour. Let mixture stand for 10 to 15 minutes to proof the yeast. In large bowl, sift the remaining flour with the salt. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast mixture, remaining ¾ cup of warm water, olive oil, and vinegar. Stir with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. Sprinkle with more bread flour as needed. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. Brush a large bowl with olive oil, place the dough in the bowl, and sprinkle the top with bread flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 50 minutes to an hour. Punch the dough down, remove from the bowl, place it on a lightly floured surface, and roll out into a circle. Place the circle on a 10-inch pizza pan and press the edges to make a thin rim. Cover and let rest for 25 to 30 minutes, then finish with your choice of toppings. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Serves 4 to 5

Note: You can also divide the dough into 2 balls and make 2 10-inch thin-crust pizzas.