Simple Margherita Pizza Flavorful and Easy Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pizza dough store-bought or homemade
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• to taste salt Salt
• to taste black pepper Freshly cracked black pepper
• a pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) with a pizza stone inside if you have one, or prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out your pizza dough into a round shape, approximately 12 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough onto a pizza peel if using a pizza stone, or directly onto the prepared baking sheet.
3. Spread the marinara sauce evenly over the surface of the pizza dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
4. Arrange the fresh mozzarella slices evenly over the sauce.
5. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the pizza and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Add red pepper flakes if you like a bit of heat.
6. If using a pizza stone, carefully slide the pizza onto the hot stone. Otherwise, simply place the baking sheet in the oven.
7. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned.
8. Once cooked, remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle fresh basil leaves on top. Let it cool for a minute.
9. Slice and serve while hot.