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1
Prepare the pizza dough, dividing into four portions after the first rising.
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2
When the dough has risen for the second time, place the oven rack in the lowest position, center a pizza stone over it, and preheat the oven to 475 F. (See below for notes on baking pizzas without a stone.)
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3
Roll or stretch each of the dough balls out to a 12-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick with a slightly thicker border around the edge.
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4
Brush each circle lightly with some of the olive oil.
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5
Working with one crust at a time, sprinkle a pizza peel or flat baking sheet generously with the cornmeal.
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6
Place the circle of dough on the cornmeal and spoon 1/4 cup of the pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a thin border around the edge.
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7
Scatter one-fourth of the mozzarella over the tomato sauce.
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8
Sprinkle the pizza lightly with salt and scatter some of the basil over it.
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9
Drizzle a little of the remaining olive oil over the cheese.
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10
Pull the oven rack out partially and slide the pizza onto the stone.
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11
The best way to do this is to bring the peel down to the stone and lift the peel until the pizza starts to slide.
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12
Once the crust makes contact with the stone, pull the peel quickly from the pizza.
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13
Make sure you center the peel and pizza over the stone so the pizza doesnt over-hang the stone when you remove the peel.
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14
Push the rack back in, close the oven, and bake until the pizza is golden brown underneath and the cheese is melted, about 8 minutes.
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15
(If you are using two stones, you may bake two pizzas at a time.
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16
Position the stones on racks in the lowest and highest positions before heating the oven.
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17
Check the pizzas as they cookthey may brown differently from stone to stone.)
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18
Remove each pizza as it is done by nudging it onto the peel with a spatula or pair of tongs.
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19
Allow a few minutes for the stone to reheat before cooking another pizza on it.
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20
Choose a heavy 12-inch skillet with a heatproof handlecast iron is ideal.
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21
Lightly oil the bottom of the skillet, place the dough circle in the skillet, and arrange the toppings over the dough as described above.
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22
Set the skillet directly on the floor of the oven and cook until the underside is evenly deep golden brown, about 6 minutes.
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23
(If you have two such skillets, you may bake two pizzas at a time.)
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24
The pizzas may be baked on cornmeal-sprinkled cookie sheets as well.
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25
Arrange one rack in the lowest position and one in the upper third of the oven before preheating the oven.
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26
Slip one dough circle onto each cookie sheet, then top as described above.
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27
Bake two pizzas at a time, rotating the sheets from side to side and shelf to shelf once during baking.
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28
Pizzas baked on sheets will take from 10 to 12 minutes.
