Ensure that your pizza dough is proofed and at room temperature.
To make the sauce
Step 3
Put the olive oil in a medium saucepan and heat over medium. When the oil is hot add the garlic and cook until aromatic, approximately 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, stir to combine and cook at a simmer until the sauce has reduced by about 1/3, approximately 20 minutes. (You will have more sauce than needed for this recipe; you can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.)
Step 4
Turn your oven up to 500°F with a pizza stone or steel. If you don’t have one, put a cast iron upside down on the rack.
Step 5
Lightly flour the counter and turn the pizza dough out of the bowl (let gravity do its job and don’t use your hands to scoop it out). Using a bench scraper or knife divide dough in half. Cover one of them with the bowl while you roll out the other. Gently shape the dough into a circle then roll out to ¼ inch thickness, rotating as you go to ensure a round shape. Transfer to a piece of parchment and roll out the other piece of dough. Transfer to a separate piece of parchment paper.
Step 6
Using a large spoon or ladle add approximately ¼ cup of sauce to one dough, using the back of the spoon to spread it evenly around. Top with torn, fresh mozzarella and transfer to the pizza stone, steel or cast iron pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the crust is puffed up and brown (this will take longer if your oven doesn’t go up to 500F).
Step 7
Remove from the oven and repeat with a second pizza. Top the finished pizza with torn basil, salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
