The delightfully simple pizza margherita is usually topped with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and fresh basil. For some reason I added a few red onion slices to this version. My simple marinara sauce recipe was used to top the crust as the base for the pizza.
Pizza margherita originated in Italy and per Google: according to popular tradition, in 1889, 28 years after the unification of Italy, during a visit to Naples of Queen Margherita of Savoy, wife of King Umberto I, chef Ratoffaele Esposito of Pizzeria Brandi and his wife created a pizza resembling the colors of the Italian flag....tomatoes for red, mozzarella for white, and basil for green.
Pizza dough
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
1 14 oz. package mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded & sliced
1/4 cup red onion, sliced
1/3 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped or torn
Roll out pizza dough on a rectangular or round baking sheet. Top with marinara sauce, cheese, tomatoes, and onions. Bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes or until crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted. After baking, you can broil the top for a few minutes if you prefer it to be more brown and bubbly. Keep a close eye on the pizza when it's under the broiler.
Sprinkle the chopped fresh basil on the pizza as soon as it comes out of the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Then you can feed your hungry people. Just slice with a pizza cutter or sharp knife and serve! You can also freeze individual slices of pizza but there may not be any leftovers because this pizza is irresistable.
