Equipment
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 200 ml warm water, around 35 degrees celsius
- 3 g active dry yeast
- 300 g 00 flour
- 8 g fine sea salt
- 10 ml extra virgin olive oil
Toppings
- 200 g canned whole peeled tomatoes, preferably san marzano, crushed by hand
- 150 g fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 10 g fresh basil, whole leaves
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 791 kcal
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbohydrates
- 123 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 2719 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 14 mg
- Potassium
- 460 mg
- Calcium
- 756 mg
- Iron
- 2.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 63 mg
- Phosphorus
- 666 mg
- Zinc
- 4.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 108 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 30 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.36 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.35 mg
- Niacin
- 2.6 mg
- Folate
- 85 mcg
- Water
- 168 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a mixing bowl, dissolve the active dry yeast in the warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes until lightly foamy.
Add the flour, sea salt, and extra virgin olive oil to the yeast mixture. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then turn out onto a work surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Place a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven and preheat to your oven's maximum temperature, ideally 250°C (500°F) or higher, for at least 45 minutes.
Punch down the dough and divide it into two equal portions. Using your hands, gently stretch one portion into a 10-inch circle on a lightly floured pizza peel.
Spread half of the hand-crushed tomatoes evenly over the dough, leaving a small border. Season lightly with salt, then distribute half of the torn mozzarella across the surface.
Slide the pizza off the peel onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crust is blistered and deeply browned, and the cheese is bubbling.
Remove the pizza from the oven. Immediately scatter half of the fresh basil leaves over the hot pizza and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Repeat shaping and baking for the second pizza.
Chef's Notes
- Crushing whole peeled tomatoes by hand yields a far superior texture and fresher flavor than using pre-blended tomato puree or sauce.
- Fresh mozzarella is packed in water and can create a puddle on your pizza. Always tear it, then let it drain on paper towels for at least 15 minutes before assembly.
- Home ovens rarely get as hot as commercial pizza ovens. Preheating your pizza stone for nearly an hour at the maximum setting is crucial for achieving a blistered, crispy crust.
- Applying basil after baking prevents the delicate leaves from burning in the intense heat of the oven, allowing their essential oils to release upon contact with the hot cheese.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Wrap tightly in foil or store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze baked slices between sheets of parchment paper.
Reheating: Reheat on a preheated pizza stone or skillet over medium heat to recrisp the base.
Troubleshooting
Dough shrinks back when stretching
Cause: Gluten is too tense
Fix: Cover the dough with a damp cloth, walk away for 10 to 15 minutes, and try stretching again
Prevention: Allow dough to properly rest before stretching
Soggy pizza center
Cause: Mozzarella held too much moisture or pizza stone was not hot enough
Fix: Return to the oven for an additional 2 minutes, but be careful not to burn the crust
Prevention: Pat fresh mozzarella completely dry before using and preheat stone for at least 45 minutes
Cultural Context
The Margherita pizza is famously said to have been created in 1889 by Neapolitan pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito to honor Queen Margherita of Savoy. Its signature toppings of red tomato, white mozzarella, and green basil were chosen to proudly represent the colors of the Italian flag.
