“As autumn descends upon the region and the weather turns colder, the comfort of homemade pizza is always welcomed, and using fresh ingredients makes this dinner staple a delight for all. Our first pairing will feature two exceptional wines from the country best known for its rustic pizza.

The recipe below is for a classic margherita pizza on which you can add the toppings of your choice. We have selected wines that will compliment a variety of flavors:

Pezzalunga Oltrepo Pavese from Vercesi del Castellazzo 2010 ($15.00) – This northern Italian wine has enough fruit to stand up to vegetarian toppings while balancing the acidity of the tomato base.

“Vilot” Dolcetto d’Alba from Ca’ Viola 2008 ($18.00) – This mouth-watering Italian red has the perfect level of tannins and lively structure to pair well with most meat based toppings, particularly cured meats like pancetta or prosciutto.”

PIZZA MARGHERITA

Makes one 14-inch pizza
Active Time: 50 minutes – Start to Finish: 2 ¾ hours

• 1 lb plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped OR
• 1 28 -32 oz can whole tomatoes in juice, drained and chopped
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 6-8 fresh basil leaves
• 1 ½ c fresh mozzarella coarsely grated
• Toppings of choice

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH

• 1 package (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast
• 1 ¾ c unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading and dredging
• ¾ c warm water (105° – 115° F)
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp extra-virgin olive oil

Stir together yeast, 1 tbsp flour, and ¼ c warm water in a measuring cup and let stand until surface appears creamy, about 5 minutes. Stir together 1 ¼ c flour and 1 ½ tsp salt in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture, oil, and remaining ½ c warm water and stir until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour (about ½ c) so dough comes away from sides of bowl. Knead dough on a dry surface with lightly floured hands until smooth, soft, and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into ball and generously dust with flour. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 ¼ hours.

To shape dough for baking: Do not punch down, but carefully dredge dough in a bowl of flour to coat and transfer to a dry, lightly floured surface. Lay dough flat and stretch and roll dough into a 14-inch round. Transfer round to a pre-heated pizza stone, or use a pizza pan with parchment paper on top.

To prepare the topping: Combine tomatoes, salt, and 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 1 c (10 – 15 minutes). Transfer to a bowl to cool. Toss together grated mozzarella and remaining 1 tbsp olive oil.

Preheat oven to 500°. Spread tomato sauce evenly on prepared and shaped dough. Top sauce with mozzarella and toppings and bake in oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and scatter basil leaves on top. Enjoy!

- The Gourmet Cookbook