Caprese PIZZAS!!

Ingredients:

Toppings
3 medium vine-ripened tomatoes
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
8 oz (250 g) fresh mozzarella cheese
Coarsely ground black pepper

Crusts
1 tsp plus 1 tbsp (5 mL plus 15 mL) olive oil, divided
1 package (13.8 oz or 283 g) refrigerated pizza crust
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 oz (30 g) Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). For toppings, slice tomatoes into 1/4-in. (6-mm) slices. Place onto paper towel-lined cutting board. Sprinkle both sides evenly with salt; let stand 15 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, for crusts, lightly brush Rectangle Stone with 1 tsp (5 mL) of the oil. Unroll dough onto baking stone. Press garlic into (1-cup/250-mL) Prep Bowl and combine with remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil; brush over dough. Grate Parmesan cheese using Rotary Grater; sprinkle evenly over dough.

3 Cut dough lengthwise into thirds with Pizza Cutter. Carefully move dough strips slightly apart on baking stone. Bake 11-12 minutes or until bottom of crusts are light golden brown.

4 While crusts bake, finish toppings. Chop basil using Santoku Knife (see Cook's Tip); combine with oil in another Prep Bowl and set aside for later use.

5 Blot tops of tomato slices with paper towels. Slice mozzarella cheese into 1/4-inch-thick (6-mm) slices. Arrange tomato and cheese slices in overlapping rows on baked crusts. Return to oven; bake an additional 4-5 minutes or just until cheese melts.

6 Remove baking stone from oven. To serve, brush basil mixture over pizzas using Chef's Silicone Basting Brush and sprinkle with black pepper.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 350, Total Fat 17 g, Saturated Fat 7 g, Cholesterol 35 mg, Carbohydrate 35 g, Protein 15 g, Sodium 950 mg, Fiber 2 g

Cook's Tips: Salting tomatoes pulls out the excess moisture, preventing a soggy pizza. Blotting well with paper towels results in a more concentrated flavor.

To easily chop basil, stack leaves on top of each other and roll into a tight cylinder. Slice crosswise to form ribbons. Turn basil ribbons and slice crosswise again.