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Mangia!
Cooking Authentic Italian
By Jacqueline Rupp
Pizza Margherita
1 package fresh or frozen pizza dough
1 large tomato or 3 Roma tomatoes
4 ounces fresh mozzarella (any size)
Approximately 10 whole fresh basil leaves
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Cornmeal
Let the dough thaw (if frozen) and rise for several hours in a warm place covered by a damp towel. An hour before starting, slice tomatoes in thin slices and spread out on a dish; salt.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Knead the dough out on a pizza board covered in cornmeal. Shape the dough into a large circle. Drizzle a thin coating of olive oil on the dough. Drain the tomatoes and place on pizza dough; layer with mozzarella and basil; drizzle with another layer of olive oil and add salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or until crust is a golden brown. Let stand for five minutes before slicing.
One of the easiest Italian dishes to serve is pasta with sauce. "Italian dishes generally don't take too long to prepare and fit easily into a busy schedule," Gillespie says. "I like to cut down on prep work time by making sauces and gravies in advance, refrigerating or even freezing them, and using when needed."
Dried pasta, whic is traditionally a Southern Italian specialty, comes in so many varieties it can be confusing which to choose. Sanders suggests using short chunky varieties for heartier, thicker sauces. Spaghetti can be served with a light drizzle of olive oil and cheese, and fettuccine with a rich ragu (which is, by the way, a sauce that contains finely ground meats and cream, not a store-bought variety.)