Meatless Monday: Pizza Margherita

I've decided that next year I think I'm going to stick to an herb garden out on the deck.  I just have trouble with my container gardening!  But the basil plant that my mother gave me thrived and I was able to use fresh basil throughout the summer.  Although we eat lots of pizza I've rarely eaten a Margherita pizza.  I don't know why.  I made this pizza which was super easy (so few ingredients!), quick, and delicious!  I made a plain pizza for the kids, as usual.  But I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this.  It's a great summer pizza when ripe tomatoes are in season and basil is thriving in herb gardens.

Pizza Margherita
recipe slightly adapted from Cooking Light, September 2008

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 store bought pizza dough
1 tomato, sliced thin
3 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
handful of fresh basil leaves

Directions:
1. Position an oven rack in the lowest setting. Place a pizza stone on the lowest oven rack.

2. Preheat oven to 450°.

3. Gently brush 1/2 teaspoon oil over pizza dough. Pat tomato slices with a paper towel. Arrange cheese over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with tomato slices. Slide dough onto preheated pizza stone, using a spatula as a guide.

4. Bake at 500° for 9 minutes or until crust is golden. Remove from pizza stone. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with basil.

Mommy & Daddy Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.