Margherita Pizza
Standard · 35 min · Serves 2 · Italian
Dietary: vegetarian, pescatarian, nut-free
A classic margherita on a homemade crust: a thin, fresh tomato and garlic sauce, cubes of fresh mozzarella, parmesan and basil, baked on a very hot steel or stone until golden and bubbling.
Ingredients
For 2 servings
Dough
- 150 g flour, unbleached all-purpose (1¼ cups), plus more for dusting
- 0.5 tsp sugar, granulated
- 0.25 tsp instant yeast, or active dry yeast
- 0.5 tsp salt, kosher (a scant ½ tsp)
- 100 ml water, warm, 40 to 45°C (105 to 115°F)
- 1.5 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin
- 1 tbsp semolina, for dusting the peel
Sauce
- 125 g canned tomato, crushed or puréed San Marzano or Italian plum tomatoes (½ cup)
- 1 clove garlic, grated or pressed
- 0.5 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin
- 0.25 tsp salt, kosher, to taste
- 0.25 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Toppings
- 10 g parmesan, finely grated (about 1½ tbsp), plus more to serve
- 100 g fresh mozzarella, not packed in water, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) cubes
- 5 g basil, large leaves, plus more to garnish
- 2 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin, to brush and drizzle
- 1 pinch red pepper flake (optional)
Steps
Dough
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a medium bowl. Add the warm water and olive oil and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough just begins to come together. It will look shaggy and dry; that's fine.
- Scrape it onto a well-floured counter and knead for 3 minutes, dusting with more flour if it sticks, until smooth, slightly elastic and tacky but not sticking to the counter.
- Put it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and leave in a warm, dry spot for about 2 hours, until doubled in size. In a cold kitchen, heat a cup of water in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, take it out, and let the dough rise in the warm microwave.
- About an hour before you want to bake, while the dough is still rising, put a pizza steel or stone on the second-highest oven rack, about 20 cm (8 inch) below the broiler, and heat the oven to 290°C (550°F) for at least an hour. If your oven doesn't go that high, or your stone is a delicate one, heat it to 260°C (500°F) instead.
Sauce
- Stir together the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Pat the mozzarella cubes dry with a paper towel, so they don't make the pizza watery.
Bake
- Shape the risen dough into a ball, cover it loosely and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Dust a pizza peel with the semolina and a little flour. With both hands, gently stretch the dough into a round about 25 cm (10 inch) across, leaving the edge slightly thicker and the center thin enough to see light through. If it springs back, rest it for 5 minutes more. Lay it on the peel.
- Brush the dough with about 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Spread the sauce thinly over it, leaving a border of 1 to 2 cm (½ to ¾ inch), then sprinkle with the parmesan, scatter over the mozzarella, and tear a few basil leaves over the top.
- Slide the pizza onto the hot steel or stone and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until the crust is golden, the edges are browned and the cheese is bubbling and caramelized. For more color, finish it under the broiler on low or medium, watching it closely.
- Lift it onto a board, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and top with a little more parmesan, torn basil and red pepper flakes, if using. Slice and serve straight away. The dough can be made ahead: after its 2-hour rise, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge, then let it stand at room temperature in a greased, covered bowl for at least 30 minutes before shaping.