Thin Crust Pizza with Mozzarella, Capers, and Basil Oil
We make this quick, foolproof pizza dough every Thursday in my cooking classes in Provence, heating the wood-fired oven up to a blasting 700°F (370°C), and topping with creamy fresh buffalo burrata or mozzarella cheese, infused oil made from fresh fragrant basil from the garden, and plenty of love. For a meat lover’s version, my Pork and Fennel Sausage is unbeatable. In my home ovens, I bake the pizzas on a baking steel or baking stone, heating the oven to as hot as it will go, which is normally around 500°F (260°C). I also use this dough for pinwheel loaves and focaccia.
MAKES 1 PIZZA
EQUIPMENT: A flat cast-iron grill pan or baking steel; a pizza peel lined with baking parchment; a pastry brush.
One 14-ounce (400 g) can diced Italian tomatoes in juice
1 ball (1/2 recipe) Instant No-Knead Dough
8 ounces (250 g) Italian burrata or Italian buffalo-milk mozzarella cheese, torn into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon capers in vinegar, drained
About 10 fresh basil leaves, torn
Hot red pepper flakes, for serving
1. Place the flat cast-iron grill plate or baking steel on the bottom rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to its highest temperature, around 500°F (260°C).
2. Pour the tomatoes through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Crush the tomatoes with a fork. (Reserve the drained tomato juice for another use.)
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll or stretch the dough ball into a 13-inch (33 cm) round. Fold the dough in half and carefully transfer it to the parchment-lined pizza peel. Unfold the dough.
4. Evenly spread the crushed tomatoes over the dough. Scatter with the mozzarella pieces (if using burrata, wait for step 4) and capers. Brush the rim of the dough with the basil oil.
5. Transfer the pizza, still on the parchment, to the baking sheet or baking stone and bake until the dough is firm and crisp and the top is bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes. Check the bottom of the dough: It should be very crispy and well cooked, dotted with bubbles and with sections that are almost blackened. Remove from the oven. If using burrata, scatter it over the topping, letting the cream drizzle over the pizza.
6. Drizzle the surface of the pizza lightly with the basil oil, and scatter with the basil leaves. Cut into 8 equal wedges and serve immediately, passing the hot red pepper flakes at the table.
VARIATION
THIN CRUST PIZZA WITH PORK AND FENNEL SAUSAGE
Replace the capers with 8 ounces (250 g) cooked Pork and Fennel Sausage, scattering it over the crushed tomatoes in step 3.