Recipe Of The Day: Pizza With Tomato And Basil By Chef James Tahhan

Pizza is a popular dish--the Italian dish is a $30 billion industry in the United States--and most people consider it for take out. Consider this: Three billion pizzas are sold annually in the United States in addition to the one billion frozen pizzas that are sold. But the simple fact of the matter is that homemade pizza has different taste and is worth the extra effort. And if you think it's too difficult to make at home, think again! October is National Pizza Month in the United States and to commemorate the occassion, we've decided to share a recipe from Chef James Tahhan.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1 onion
6 cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 quarts of whole milk
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
2 pounds pre elaborate mace
2 tomatoes Creole (small and salad)
1/2 lb fresh buffalo mozzarella
1 cup basil
1/2 pound of semolina to prevent the dough from sticking to the baking
We need a pizza baking stone.

For the bechamel: In a sauce pot, melt the butter and add the flour. Cook the two over medium heat for five minutes until it turns golden in color. Then, slowly add the milk, making sure to stir constantly to avoid lumps from forming. Once the milk has been added, add the onion and cloves, and cook for five minutes. Then, add the nutmeg and mozzarella cheese. For the dough: Stretch the dough, making sure to put flour on the table to prevent sticking. Stretch the dough out with a rolling pin until the dough is thin. Add 1 tablespoon of sauce and buffalo mozzarella until the surface is covered. Add tomato wheels on top, making sure it is evenly distributed. Season with salt and pepper, and bake for 30 minutes. Garnish with basil leaves and finish the pizza with extra virgin olive oil.