Bob’s Boboli Margherita Pizza

by Cindi Sutter, Founder & Editor of Spirited Table® - Recipe and preparation by Bob Sutter

Also try Bob’s Pimento Cheese & Bacon Pizza. He used a bag of Trader Joe’s fresh pizza dough, for that one, even though it is a bit more labor intensive: but WOW, It’s very Yummy!

Ingredients 

1 Thin crust Boboli Pizza*-12”

2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp Minced garlic

1 1/2 cups Whole Peeled Plum Tomatoes

2 Tbsp Tomato Paste

2 Tbsp Basil, sliced thin

1/2 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Sugar

2-3 Bay Leaves

8 oz fresh Mozzarella sliced thin (used Trader Joe’s)

8 fresh basil leaves (whole)

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning 

Salt & Pepper

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 425°. Wash and dry the fresh basil and bay leaves. I like to roll them up in paper towels to absorb any extra water, before using.

2. In a blender or food processor plum tomatoes and tomato paste and mix to desired thickness.

3. In a saucepan heat oil then add garlic until golden, add tomato blend above, sliced basil, oregano, sugar, bay leaves, salt & pepper to taste. Simmer for 15 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Remove Bay Leaves.

4. Spread this mixture on the thin crust Boboli* up to the built-in edges.

5. Cut fresh Mozzarella and arrange them on top of the sauce. Place a basil leaf on top of each Mozzarella slice. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the entire pizza, to taste.

6. Bake at 425° for approximately 10-12 minutes or until Mozarella is more golden (see photo). You can bake on a pizza stone, baking sheet or place directly on your oven rack.

Cook’s Note

You will probably have extra basil, so you can drop that into the blender to mix with bay leaves, tomatoes and tomato paste.

*I tried a different crust and it didn’t go well at all. It basically tasted like cardboard.