Classic Thin Crust, Get the Skinny.

Everybody loves pizza, don’t they? I know I do, but what’s happened to this heavenly balance of crust, sauce and cheese over the last ten years?

I’ve had a slice of Original Rays in New York that was truly divine, peach and pancetta California pizza in Los Angeles and deep dish pizza in a suburb of Chicago that seem conflicted whether it was pizza or lasagna.

There’s room for all of us, including this more classic thin crust pizza.

For the sauce, saute a little diced onion and a couple cloves of garlic in 3 tablespoons of olive oil until soft but not caramelized. Add a 28 ounce can of tomato puree, 1 6 ounce can of tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 tablespoon dried oregano and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Turn down heat and simmer for 15 minutes covered. Set aside to cool.

For the crust, in a mixing bowl add 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup warm water and 1/4 cup olive oil. Stir to combine, turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and kneed 10-20 times until the texture is uniform. Let this rest for 30 minutes wrapped in plastic wrap.

To make a pizza preheat oven to highest setting, usually 500-550 degrees. If you have a baking stone put it on the lowset rack in the oven, if you don’t have a pizza stone stop reading right now and go buy one. The quality of your homemade pizza with be improved by powers of 10.

Okay, divide dough in half, wrap one half in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for later. Roll the other half out on a lightly floured work surface until it is about a 12-14 inch circle (about a sixteenth of an inch), square or other random shape. Top with sauce, cheese and your favorite toppings. Caution, do not put to much topping or it won’t cook right. Bake for 5-6 minutes on a baking stone. Cook until done otherwise. Bon Apetit.