All secrets on making the perfect Rustic Italian Pizza are being let out! While Natalie was in Italy she learned these necisary steps from the chefs she met at a small Bed and Breakfast.

Secrets to the best pizza ever!:

bake on a pizza stone, this made such a huge difference on how the curst
bakes!
you can use a kitchen aid (or other) mixer, but we did it the old
fashioned way, with your hands...my grandma laughed at me when I suggested
using the mixer with the dough attachement
you can make this dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for
tomorrow or freeze for later
I made this recipe with my grandma, we did it her way and it could not
have been more perfect!

To make the sauce:

1. Place one box of Pomi Strained Tomatoes into a sauce pan.

2. Add the smashed garlic clove, salt, extra virgin olive oil and fine
black pepper and let simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

To make the dough:

1. Mix the dry yeast with the water.

2. In a mixing bowl, add the flour, sea salt and mix. Then add the yeast
and water mixture and knead the dough for about 10-15 minutes. You can
also use the dough hook attachment on an electric mixer for about 8
minutes. If the dough is too dry, add some water, if it is too wet, add
flour.

3. Once you have a nice soft dough, cut it into 6 strips and form into
round balls. Drizzle with olive oil. Now it's time to let them rise. You
can do it the old fashioned way that I have always seen my grandma do
whenever she is making pizza or bread dough and that is fold a soft table
cloth in half and then half again, put the dough rounds on one side of the
tablecloth and then fold the other half over. This is to ensure that no
draft gets to the dough while keeping the moisture in to help the balls
rise. You can also place them on an oiled cookie sheet, cover with plastic
wrap and place in a draft free area at room temperature. Let rise for 2+
hours.

4. Be sure to heat up your oven to as high as it can go with the pizza
stone in it at least 45 minutes prior to baking it. My grandmas goes up to
550F.

5. Flour your work surface lightly, take one of your balls and start to
flatten it out with your hands and knuckles. We used a rolling pin to
flatten it out, very lightly. Be sure not to rip or get any holes in the
dough.

6. Dust your pizza peel with flour, or if you don't have one, you can use
a piece of card board. Gently slide your dough onto the pizza peel. Top
with sauce, making sure not to go right to the edge, leave a little room
for the crust, and sliced mozzarella. Carefully slide the pizza onto the
preheated stone in the oven. Bake for 7 minutes, and then turn the oven to
broil for 1 minute to get that lovely golden brown edge.

7. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese and fresh basil leaves.

Recipe by Natalie of www.thepartyparade.com