Description
Margherita pizza celebrates Italian culinary simplicity with fresh basil, ripe tomatoes, and creamy mozzarella atop a perfectly crisp wood-fired crust. Passionate pizza enthusiasts savor each slice that connects them directly to Naples’ delicious heritage.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 cups (512 g) bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 3 ounces (85 g) fresh mozzarella
- 2 ounces (56 g) tomato sauce
Dough Components:
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) instant yeast
- 2 to 3 teaspoons (12 g) kosher salt
- 1.75 to 2 cups (400 to 454 g) lukewarm water
Finishing Ingredients:
- Olive oil for drizzling
- 1 pinch of flaky sea salt
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Gather the flour, salt, and active dry yeast in a spacious mixing bowl, thoroughly blending the dry ingredients with a whisk to ensure even distribution.
- Create a well in the center of the dry mixture and gradually introduce lukewarm water, stirring with a rubber spatula to form a cohesive, slightly sticky dough.
- Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the dough’s surface, gently massaging to coat evenly and enhance moisture retention.
- Envelop the bowl with a slightly dampened kitchen towel, allowing the dough to rest and rise in a draft-free, warm environment for approximately 1 to 1.5 hours until it visibly doubles in volume.
- Position the pizza stone inside the oven and preheat to 550°F (288°C), maintaining the high temperature for a minimum of 45 minutes to ensure optimal crust crispiness.
- Dust a clean work surface with flour and carefully divide the risen dough into four equal portions, gently shaping each into a smooth ball before delicately stretching into 10-12 inch rounds.
- Transfer each pizza base onto parchment-lined pizza peels, spreading a thin layer of San Marzano tomato sauce, distributing fresh mozzarella cheese pieces, and adding a delicate drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- Sprinkle sea salt and fresh ground black pepper according to taste preferences, ensuring even seasoning across the pizza surface.
- Slide the prepared pizza onto the scorching hot stone, baking for approximately 4-5 minutes until the crust turns golden brown and the cheese becomes perfectly melted and bubbly.
- Extract the pizza from the oven, immediately garnish with fresh torn basil leaves, slice into wedges, and serve piping hot for maximum flavor and texture enjoyment.
Notes
- Cold ingredients like fresh mozzarella and basil transform dramatically when heated, creating deep flavor complexity.
- Stretching dough by hand instead of rolling prevents tough texture and preserves delicate air pockets developed during rising.
- Pizza stones radiate consistent heat, mimicking traditional wood-fired ovens and generating crispy, restaurant-quality crusts at home.
- Resting dough allows gluten networks to relax, making stretching easier and contributing to a more tender, airy final product.
- Sea salt sprinkled before baking enhances natural ingredients’ taste profiles and provides subtle mineral undertones to the pizza.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 415 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 560 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg