Pizza Margherita

From the kitchen of Carly

The Italian classic in three colors: red tomato, white mozzarella, green basil. A simple yeasted dough, no fancy sourdough starters, on the table in 90 minutes including the rise. Less is more, but the less has to be excellent. Pat the mozzarella dry with paper towels before scattering. Wet mozzarella turns the crust into a swimming pool.

Pizza Margherita

The best Margherita lives on a thin, crispy-bottomed crust with blistered edges and cheese that melts but doesn't brown to a crisp. That requires fresh yeast, minimal toppings, and a hot oven. If you've got a pizza stone and 90 minutes, this is your proof that restaurant pizza isn't magic, just method.

Prep
25 min
Cook
12 min
Total
1 hr 30 min
Servings
2
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

2 servings

  • 3/4 cup(150 ml)warm water (about 110°F)
  • 1 tspgranulated sugar
  • 1/2 oz(15 g)fresh yeast (or 7g instant dry)
  • 8 oz(225 g)00 flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tspkosher salt
  • 1 tbsp + extra to drizzlegood olive oil
  • 3 oz(80 g)tomato passata or crushed San Marzano tomatoes
  • 2 1/2 oz(70 g)fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces and patted dry
  • 1 pinchdried oregano
  • 6fresh basil leaves
  • 1 pinchfreshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

  1. Combine the warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Crumble in the fresh yeast (or sprinkle in instant dry).

  2. Let the mixture sit somewhere warm for 10 to 15 minutes until a layer of foam develops on top. If nothing happens, your yeast is dead; start over.

  3. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture along with the olive oil.

  4. Lightly flour your hands and mix the ingredients together until they bind into a shaggy ball.

  5. Tip the dough onto a generously floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, silky, and bounces back when poked.

  6. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let rise for 1 hour in a warm spot until doubled in size.

  7. Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). If you have a pizza stone, put it in the oven now to preheat.

  8. Punch down the risen dough. Stretch it by hand on a floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Don't use a rolling pin; you want the air pockets intact.

  9. Transfer to a floured pizza peel or oiled baking tray.

  10. Spread the passata in a thin layer to within 1/2 inch of the edge.

  11. Scatter the torn mozzarella evenly across. Sprinkle with oregano, black pepper, and a final drizzle of olive oil.

  12. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the crust is golden brown at the edges and the cheese is bubbling and lightly colored.

  13. Pull from the oven. Tear the basil leaves on top so they wilt from the residual heat. Slice and serve immediately.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Don't roll the dough with a pin. Stretch it by hand so the air pockets survive the oven and give you that blistered crust you're after.
  • Pat your mozzarella dry before tearing it. Wet cheese will seep water into the sauce and turn your crust soggy at the base.
  • A pizza stone makes a difference, but if you don't have one, a preheated baking tray works fine. The key is oven heat, not the vessel.
  • Fresh yeast smells alive and earthy. Dead yeast smells like vinegar or nothing at all. If the foam doesn't rise in 15 minutes, toss it and start over.

Variations

  • Quattro Formaggi: Replace the mozzarella with a mix of fresh mozzarella, gorgonzola, pecorino, and a small dollop of ricotta. Drizzle with walnut oil instead of olive oil.
  • Pizza with Roasted Garlic: Spread 3 or 4 cloves of roasted garlic (mashed to a paste) under the sauce before topping with cheese and fresh basil added after baking.
  • Margherita with Prosciutto: Add 60g of torn prosciutto di Parma scattered over the cheese before baking, then finish with extra basil and a grind of black pepper right out of the oven.
  • Summer Version: Skip the oregano. Top with fresh mozzarella, a light tomato sauce, then finish baked with fresh basil, fleur de sel, and a drizzle of really good olive oil.

Make ahead and storage

Leftover pizza keeps for 2 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat on a stone or tray at 375°F for about 5 minutes to crisp the base without drying out the cheese. Not recommended for freezing if you want to keep that crust texture.

Substitutions
  • fresh yeast to 7g (one packet) instant dry yeast. Skip the bloom step; mix straight into the flour. Equally good.
  • fresh mozzarella to low-moisture mozzarella. Less watery, faster to bake. Loses a touch of the milky flavor.
  • tomato passata to 1 can (14 oz) crushed San Marzano tomatoes, drained. Drain well so the crust doesn't go soggy. Worth the upgrade if you can find them.

Pairs well with: A simple arugula salad with lemon and olive oil, A glass of Chianti, Barbera, or any medium Italian red, Crispy garlic bread on the side