We were all feeling kind of lazy yesterday. I normally cook a big meal on Sunday for dinner but I just didn’t feel up to it yesterday so we were looking for something simple. Sean actually suggested Margherita pizza, which I had not made before but it sounded like a good idea so I decided to go for it. I looked around for a good recipe and I found this simple one online at Food.com so I decided to go with this one.

Margherita Pizza

1 12-inch thin pizza crust

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3-4 large basil leaves,cut into strips

2 small tomatoes, cut thinly

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Drizzle the olive oil over the pizza crust. Use a brush to spread it around evenly to make sure it covers all of the crust. Disperse the finely chopped garlic evenly over the crust. Spread the mozzarella cheese throughout the top of the crust, trying to keep the layers of cheese as thin as possible. Place the thinly sliced tomatoes across the entire pizza. Lightly salt and pepper the tomatoes. Spread the fresh basil leaves over the pizza crust, making sure to cover some of the tomatoes and some on just the cheese itself. Cook the pizza in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until crispy and the cheese is melted to your specific liking. Add the Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper, if using. Slice and serve.

Just a few things about this recipe. I used Boboli crust since one, I had some on hand, and two, I don’t usually make my own pizza dough. You could easily substitute your own pizza dough or any store-bought dough in this recipe if that is what you prefer. I also put mine on a pizza stone in the oven and I really think it makes a big difference. The crust comes out much crisper, which I personally prefer. We also made a sausage pizza to go along with this one and had a side salad to round out the meal.

You can’t get much simpler than that and it does taste great. The fresh tomatoes, the olive oil, the garlic and fresh basil really made it for me. I just love the smell of fresh basil and the kitchen smelled great while it was cooking. Using a really good olive oil seemed to make a good difference too, so if you have a good one, this is a good recipe to use it on.

I do have a few recipes planned out for this week, including the one I am making tonight of indoor grilled steaks with tomato and basil and some sweet pea risotto. Check back tomorrow to see the recipes and how they came out. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!