Classic Italian Margherita Pizza
Fresh crust, blistered edges, real Italian flavor.
A simple 90-minute dough that gives you a blistered, wood-fired style crust in a home oven. Top with the classic tomato, mozzarella, and basil for an authentic Italian Margherita.
Shopping list
- 500 ml of water
- 800 g of white bread flour
- 7 g of dry yeast
- 10 g of fine sea salt
- 3 tbsp of olive oil
- 250 g of mature mozzarella
- 400 g of fresh tomatoes
- 1 bunch of fresh basil
- 1 clove of garlic
Ingredients
- 500 ml Water
- 800 g White bread flour For an authentic Italian crust
- 7 g Dry yeast
- 10 g Fine sea salt
- 3 tbsp Olive oil Extra virgin, for kneading and drizzling
- 250 g Mature mozzarella Grate or slice thickly to reduce water
- 400 g Fresh tomatoes Ripe but firm, such as plum or Marzano
- 1 bunch Fresh basil Torn leaves, do not chop finely
- 1 clove Garlic One small clove, sliced into thin coins
Method
-
10 min
Dissolve yeast in 100 ml of the warm water. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt, then pour in the yeast mixture and the remaining 400 ml of water. Mix until a rough shaggy dough forms.
-
10 min
Knead the dough on a clean surface for 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough inside, cover loosely, and set in a warm, draught-free place to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
-
5 min
Punch down the dough and divide it into 4 equal balls. Set them aside to rest for 10 minutes. Cut the tomatoes and drain them slightly on paper towels to remove excess liquid.
-
10 min
Turn out one dough ball onto a thick layer of cornflour. Gently press from the center outward to a 25 cm circle, leaving the outer edge slightly thicker. Transfer to a baking sheet and place on the bottom oven rack to pre-bake for 2 minutes.
-
5 min
Scatter the drained tomato slices over the base, leaving a 2 cm border. Add the garlic coins, a little sea salt, and a drizzle of olive oil.
-
5 min
Move the pizza to the top of the preheated oven. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes until the crust is puffed, blistered, and the edges are spotted with char.
Tip Check often. In a domestic oven, high heat for a short time is better than medium heat for a long time.
-
2 min
Remove the pizza, immediately top it with the mozzarella and a heavy drizzle of olive oil. Return to the top of the oven for 2 minutes just to melt the cheese.
Tip Adding mozzarella early makes it release too much water and soggy the crust.
-
3 min
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with torn basil leaves. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 1 minute before cutting and serving.
Chef's tips
- Keep the mozzarella cold until you are ready to use it, then add it only in the last minute of cooking.
- Do not make the crust too thick; a 1 cm base allows the inside to cook through in a standard oven.
- Resting the dough ball for 10 minutes before stretching makes it much easier to handle.
Swap it
- Mozzarella
- If you prefer a drier cheese, swap the mozzarella for grated fontina.
- Base
- Make it low-carb by stretching the base over a whole-wheat tortilla before adding toppings.
- Vegetarian
- Add sun-dried tomatoes and crumbled paneer to turn it into a richer vegetarian variation.