Directions

1. Place your pizza stone in a 550 F oven for at least 1 hour before you are ready to bake your pizza.
2. Slice the tomato thin and place on paper towel and sprinkle with a bit of salt.  Cover with more paper towel and weigh down with something heavy like a cutting board.  Leave for about an hour.  This will remove excess moisture from the tomato and prevent soggy pizza crust.
3. Place sliced mushrooms in a skillet with the olive oil and saute adding garlic at the end of cooking for 30 seconds.
4. When your stone is ready shape the dough into a round shape slightly smaller than your pizza stone.  Place it on a cornmeal coated pizza peel.
5. Working quickly so the dough doesn’t stick to the peel, spread the dough with the tomato sauce then add the sliced tomatoes, pepperoni, mushroom and garlic mixture, green olives and sprinkle with the smoked cheddar.
6. Slide the pizza from the peel, using your free hand to gently pull the front of the pizza, to the hot pizza stone.  Set timer for 7 minutes.
7. Lift the crust to check the bottom and see if it is done. Add another minute if not.
8. When pizza is done remove from the oven with the peel and slide onto a cutting board.
9. Using a pastry brush spread oil on the crust.  Sprinkle with the fresh basil and green onions.
10. Using a pizza wheel cutter cut into wedges and enjoy.
11. Let the pizza stone cool in the oven.