Marinara Pizza and Chef’s Table: Pizza

Hello and welcome to Pizza and a Movie! Today’s pizza was inspired by the new season of Chef’s Table, which focuses on six distinct pizza chefs. What is more straight forward than dough and sauce? A marinara pizza is simply that. But don’t be deceived by the simplicity. This pizza is complex and ultra flavorful. In my version, we have the fresh, bright flavor of uncooked crushed tomatoes punctuated with the sweet flavor of roasted tomatoes and whole garlic cloves. You might think you’ll miss the cheese. But you won’t. Trust me. Let’s get to it!

Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F with a pizza stone or steel. While it’s preheating prepare the tomatoes and the garlic cloves on a sheet tray with olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt. I am going to roast the garlic cloves with the skins on, it’s easier to take the skins off after the cloves are roasted. Go ahead and put the tray in the oven, right on the pizza steel while it’s preheating. We will let these roast for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile let your dough come up to room temperature, for about 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, the tomatoes should have burst a bit and will have released some juice. the garlic cloves might not look golden, but give one a poke and if it’s soft, you’re good to go. Set the tomatoes and garlic aside and let them cool for a bit. Once cooled enough to handle, unpeel the garlic and discard the skins.

Build the Marinara Pizza

For the sauce base, we are using crushed uncooked tomatoes right out of the can. Roll, stretch or spin your dough out onto a lightly floured pizza peel. Use a silicone spatula to scoop and spread the crushed tomatoes on the dough. Be sure to leave about half an inch for the crust.

Use that same spatula to scoop and place the roasted tomatoes and garlic on the sauce. Be sure the garlic is evenly placed on the pizza.

Scrape the pan to get the oil and tomato juices into one corner of the pan. Then drizzle that tomatoey oil and roasted bits over the pizza. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pizza and around the crust.

This Marinara Pizza is ready for the oven. Slide the pizza onto the pizza steel or stone and let cook for 10-15 minutes. Until the dough is puffed and golden on the top and the bottom.

When the pizza comes out of the oven, give it another drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan over the top and dot with fresh basil.

Slice it up and we are ready to serve! This pizza is so simple and so flavorful with the combination of bright crushed tomatoes and the deeply savory sweet roasted tomatoes and garlic. Such a simple, perfect, satisfying pizza.

Movie Night: Chef’s Table: Pizza

We have our Marinara Pizza ready to go so let’s get to the show. This week, over three nights I watched the new season of Chef’s Table on Netflix. This collection of six episodes focuses on pizza. Six pizza chefs from around the world share their love and devotion to pizza. A truly inspiring collection of stories and unique perspectives on pizza making, ingredients and the art of pizza.

As much as I have been inspired over the many seasons of Chef’s Table, no series has captured what I love about cooking most than this series on Pizza. Beyond the pizza, this is a wonderful collection of stories, shot and edited beautifully. If you haven’t seen any of the Chef’s Table series, I highly recommend them all, but especially this new Pizza series. Chef’s Table: Pizza is available to stream with a subscription to Netflix.

Thank you all for joining me today for Pizza and a Movie! If you want another classic pizza, try Pizza Margherita. Have a great weekend! Take care and be well, xo Kelly

Key Equipment

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Marinara Pizza

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Dinner, Main Course – Italian

By Kelly Djalali – Serves: 2-4

Prep Time: 40 Minutes – Cooking Time: 10-15 Minutes – Total Time: ~50 Minutes

Featuring the fresh, bright flavor of crushed tomatoes punctuated with the sweet flavor of roasted tomatoes and garlic cloves.

Ingredients

• 12-16 oz. Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
• 8-10 Garlic Cloves
• Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt
• 1 Prepared Pizza Dough
• 1/4-1/3 cup Uncooked Crushed Tomatoes
• Garnish with Parmesan Cheese and Fresh Basil

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F with a pizza stone or steel.

2

While it's preheating prepare the tomatoes and the garlic cloves on a sheet tray with olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt.

3

Roast the garlic cloves with the skins on, it's easier to take the skins off after the cloves are roasted. Go ahead and put the tray in the oven, right on the pizza steel while it's preheating.

4

Let the garlic and tomatoes roast for about 30 minutes.

5

Meanwhile let your dough come up to room temperature, for about 30 minutes.

6

After 30 minutes, the tomatoes should have burst a bit and will have released some juice. the garlic cloves might not look golden, but give one a poke and if it's soft, you're good to go. Set the tomatoes and garlic aside and let them cool for a bit.

7

Once cooled enough to handle, unpeel the garlic and discard the skins.

8

Roll, stretch or spin your dough out onto a lightly floured pizza peel. Use a silicone spatula to scoop and spread the crushed tomatoes on the dough. Be sure to leave about half an inch for the crust.

9

Use that same spatula to scoop and place the roasted tomatoes and garlic on the sauce. Be sure the garlic is evenly placed on the pizza.

10

Scrape the pan to get the oil and tomato juices into one corner of the pan. Then drizzle that tomatoey oil and roasted bits over the pizza. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pizza and around the crust.

11

Slide the pizza onto the pizza steel or stone and let cook for 10-15 minutes. Until the dough is puffed and golden on the top and the bottom

12

When the pizza comes out of the oven, give it another drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan over the top and dot with fresh basil.

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