Homemade Margherita Pizza
Homemade Margherita pizza with an easy same-day dough, simple crushed tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil, baked on a very hot stone or steel for a crisp crust.
By Tasty Nest Recipes Editorial TeamPublished
2 hr 45 min total Two 12-inch pizzasIntermediate
Photo: Ruocaled · CC BY 2.0. Illustrative photo; your results may look different.
About this recipe
A Margherita pizza is all about balance: a thin, chewy crust, a bright uncooked tomato sauce, milky fresh mozzarella and a few leaves of basil. With so few ingredients, technique matters most.
The key in a home oven is heat. Preheat a pizza stone or steel for at least 45 minutes at the highest temperature your oven allows, and bake the pizzas quickly so the crust puffs and browns before the cheese overcooks.
Equipment you'll need
- Pizza stone or steel (or a heavy baking sheet)
- Pizza peel or rimless baking sheet
- Stand mixer or large bowl
Tips for success
- Pat the mozzarella dry to keep the pizza from getting soggy.
- Use a light hand with the sauce; too much makes the centre wet.
- For extra browning, switch to the broiler for the last 1 to 2 minutes.
Substitutions and variations
- Use store-bought pizza dough to save time.
- Swap fresh mozzarella for low-moisture mozzarella for a stretchier, more American-style pizza.
- Add a few slices of salami or a handful of arugula after baking.
Storage and reheating
To store: Refrigerate leftover pizza for up to 3 days. Freeze unbaked dough balls in oiled bags for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Reheat slices in a hot skillet, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes to recrisp the base, or in a 400°F (200°C) oven.
Recipe
Homemade Margherita Pizza
Homemade Margherita pizza with an easy same-day dough, simple crushed tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil, baked on a very hot stone or steel for a crisp crust.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Dough rise
- 2 hr
- Total
- 2 hr 45 min
- Yield
- Two 12-inch pizzas
- Level
- Intermediate
Ingredients
Tick off ingredients as you gather them.
Dough
Sauce
Toppings
Instructions
Step 1: Make the dough
Mix the flour, water and yeast until no dry flour remains. Rest for 15 minutes, then add the salt and oil and knead for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Step 2: Let it rise
Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until doubled. Divide into 2 balls, cover and rest for 20 minutes. (Or refrigerate the dough balls for 1 to 3 days for more flavour, bringing them to room temperature for 1 hour before shaping.)
Step 3: Preheat
Place the stone or steel on an upper-middle rack and heat the oven to its maximum, 500 to 550°F (260 to 290°C), for at least 45 minutes.
Step 4: Make the sauce
Crush the tomatoes by hand or blend briefly, then stir in the garlic, salt and oil. Do not cook it.
Step 5: Shape and top
On a floured surface, press one dough ball into a 12-inch round, leaving a thicker rim. Transfer to a peel dusted with semolina. Spread with half the sauce and scatter with half the mozzarella.
Step 6: Bake
Slide onto the stone and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and charred in spots and the cheese is bubbling. Top with basil, Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Repeat with the second pizza.
Cuisine: Italian (Neapolitan-style) · Course: Dinner
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 670
- Protein
- 26 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 98 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugars
- 5 g
Approximate values estimated from typical nutrition data for the listed ingredients, excluding optional toppings and serving suggestions. Actual values vary with brands, portion sizes and substitutions. Not verified by a dietitian or laboratory analysis.
tastynestrecipes.com/recipes/margherita-pizza
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