Ingredients

Crust

1 envelope active dry yeast

1 1/3 cups warm water

2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

1 1/2 to 2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp salt

Sauce

2 pounds fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or one 28oz. can Italian crushed tomatoes

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

salt to taste

4 fresh basil leaves, torn into bits

Topping

12 oz. fresh organic mozzarella, thinly sliced

1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

Olive Oil

Directions

Sprinkle the yeast over the water in a small bowl. Let stand for 1 minute or until the yeast is creamy. Stir until the yeast dissolves.

In a large bowl, combine 3 1/2 cups of the flours and the salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Lightly coat a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to oil the top. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, draft-free place and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Oil a 15x10x1 inch jelly-roll pan. With your fist, flatten the dough. Place the dough in the center of the pan and stretch and flatten it out to fit. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 1 hour, until puffy and nearly doubled.

To make the sauce, in a large saucepan, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oil and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 to 20 mins. Add the basil. Let cool.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

With your fingertips, firmly press the dough to make dimples at 1-inch intervals all over the surface. Spread the sauce over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the pizza from the oven. Arrange the slices of cheese on top. Sprinkle with the grated cheese. Drizzle with oil. Return the pizza to the oven a bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is browned.