Ricotta and Cherry Tomato Pizza

Before Chicago, Mike and I lived in Brooklyn. And there, we would have Pizza Friday! each week. This tradition diminished eventually. In name at least, though the frequency of our pizza eating did not. Particularly when we started making our own pizza. This dough recipe makes two crusts, so you know, two pizzas to eat.

But today, hey, it's Friday. And this is pizza. And ricotta with the sweetest in-season tomatoes is so terrific. Pizza Friday!, indeed.

1 1/8 cups warm water
1 packet active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons olive oil

olive oil
about 1/4 cup ricotta
coarse salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 tablespoon basil, sliced into fine ribbons

With your pizza stone inside, preheat your oven to its hottest, non-broil setting.

Mix the yeast, sugar, and water. Set aside. Put the flour and salt into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. With the processor running, add the olive oil, then (once the yeast is dissolved) the water-yeast solution. Continue with the machine running until a ball begins to form. The dough should be fairly wet. Remove the dough and form it into a ball, then dump it into a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, non-drafty place for an hour or so (or overnight).

Knead the dough for about a minute on a clean, floured counter, then divide it in two. (This recipe makes two pizza crusts. Repeat this with the second one or make a different pizza with that one.) Let these two dough balls rest for about 10 minutes, while you prep your other ingredients. Then, gently press the dough out into a large round, turning it as you go and adding flour as needed.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper on top of a pizza peel or rimless baking sheet. Brush the dough with olive oil, spread the ricotta on top of that, then sprinkle with salt to taste and garlic. Top with the halved cherry tomatoes, cut side up. With the pizza peel, slide the pizza onto your pizza stone and bake for 10 minutes or until the crust begins to brown (getting used to a new oven, mine did more than begin to brown). Top with the basil before serving.