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Authentic Pizza Margherita Recipe Alternate Text Naples, Italy

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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though

Introduction & history

A true pizza Margherita is made with a simple bread dough consisting of flour, yeast, salt, and water, and a topping of either peeled or fresh tomatoes, mozzarella or fior di latte, salt, extra virgin olive oil, and basil leaves. The topping will also often include grated hard cheese, typically pecorino, or a 50:50 mixture of pecorino and Parmigiano Reggiano. The dough is twice-proven and should be shaped by hand only. Once shaped, the disc of dough should not exceed 35 cm (13.5-inch) and should have a raised 1-2 cm (1/2-inch) outer rim, also known called cornicione, while the center should be about 0.3 cm (1/8-inch) thick. Traditionally, pizza Margherita is baked in a wood-fired oven for no longer than 60-90 seconds. The end result should be a soft and fragrant pizza, with no blackened spots, that can be folded without tearing. The mozzarella should have melted and the basil leaves are darkened but not burnt.

Cooking tips

  • making the dough

    Ideally, the dough, made with just flour, yeast, salt, and water, should be made the night before or in the morning so it has enough time to ferment. Traditionally, Italian 00 flour is used, which is similar to all-purpose flour. The preparation begins with dissolving salt in water, then adding to that yeast and dissolving it. Then, first, a portion of the flour should be added to the water, and then ... Read more
  • the fermentation of dough

    The dough has to rise two times, for a minimum of 8 hours — the first rise being 2 hours long and a second 6 hours long; however, the second rise can last for up 16 hours, ideally at a 23°C/73°F temperature, or in the refrigerator, equating to a total of 18 hours of fermentation. If the dough is kept in the refrigerator, it should come to room temperature before you start shaping it. Before the second ... Read more
  • shaping the dough

    The dough, which should be at room temperature, needs to be handled with hands only. First, the ball of dough needs to be placed on a lightly floured working surface. Then, it is to be pressed with fingers only, working from the center outwards and turning it over several times. The result should be a disc of dough with a raised outer edge, approximately 1-2cm (1/2-inch), and a center that is only ... Read more
  • tomatoes

    Both peeled, canned and fresh tomatoes can be used, traditionally of the San Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino variety. If using peeled tomatoes, they should be strained, salted, and mashed into a homogenous mixture. In contrast, when fresh ones are used, salt is added to the tomatoes once they're arranged on the pizza before mozzarella is added. The amount of salt added to the tomato is about 10... Read more
  • mozzarella/fior di latte

    Mozzarella or fior di latte can be used. However, they both should be refrigerated prior to use to dry out a bit before being added to the topping since wet cheese can dilute it and make it mushy. The cheese should be sliced (smaller mozzarella) or cut into strips (bigger mozzarella balls and fior di latte) with a knife; otherwise, if using machines, the milk can easily separate from the cheese. Also,... Read more
  • the topping

    The topping for pizza Margherita includes crushed, peeled tomatoes, which are smeared over the dough in a circular fashion using a spoon. If fresh tomatoes are used, they are arranged on top of the pizza and then sprinkled with salt. Next, pieces of mozzarella or fior di latte are scattered on top, followed by basil leaves and a sprinkle of grated, hard cheese. The typical choice is either pecorino,... Read more
  • baking

    Traditionally, pizza Margherita is baked in a wood-fired oven at 465 to 485°C (870 to 905°F), but the wood used should not be prone to smoking, have an odor, or moisture, as that may alter the aroma of the pizza.
  • at home preparation

    Because it is impossible to achieve the temperature of a wood-fired oven with a home oven, here are a few tricks that can help you get the best results at home. First, it is advisable to bake the pizza on a baking stone or baking steel and to turn the broiler or grill option on before you put the pizza in the oven. Of course, the oven needs to be heated to the maximum possible temperature. Also, for ... Read more

Recipe variations

Pizza Margherita for Home Ovens

PREP 50min

COOK 6min

proofing time 8h 20min

READY IN 9h 16min

4.7

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This recipe for an at-home preparation of pizza Margherita is the creation of the pizzaiolo Davide Civitello. Unlike the traditional recipe for pizza Margherita, here, oil and sugar are also added to the dough — sugar to help with browning and oil to make the pizza crispier since it bakes longer than one baked in a wood-fired oven. 

Ingredients

9 Servings

DOUGH

1 L (4 1/4 cups) water

1,6 - 1,7 kg (13 1/3 - 14 cups) 00 flour with medium protein content

2g (1/2 tsp) brewer's yeast

50g (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) salt

20g (4 tsp) sugar

50 ml (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) extra virgin olive oil

TOMATO SAUCE

800g (28.2 oz) tomatoes, tinned or peeled ones

8g (1 1/2 tsp) salt

a few basil leaves

extra virgin olive oil, as needed

TOPPING (per pizza)

a bit more than 1 tbsp of tomato sauce

70-80g (2.5 - 2.8 oz) mozzarella

basil leaves

a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1

DOUGH

Step 1/3

Mix the yeast with flour, and separately dissolve salt in water. Add a portion of the flour to the water, to create the first mix. Then, knead in the sugar first, and the olive oil second.

Step 2/3

Gradually add the remaining flour, then knead for another 15-20 minutes until you have a smooth and elastic dough. Let the dough rest, covered, for 20 minutes.

Step 3/3

Then, divide the dough into two loaves, and make about 8-9 (10, if you're stretching it), balls of dough. Cover the balls of dough with a large bowl and leave them to rise for 6-8 hours.

2

TOMATO SAUCE

Step 1/3

To prepare the tomato sauce, use tinned or peeled tomatoes (for instructions on how to peel them, check out our “cooking tips” section).

Step 2/3

Place the tomatoes in a large enough bowl and crush them by hand or pass them through a food mill.

Step 3/3

Salt them, add a few basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, and mix.

3

SHAPING THE DOUGH

Step 1/3

To shape each ball of dough into a pizza, first, lightly flour the palms of your hand as well as the chosen ball of dough — do not roll the dough in flour, as it will burn during baking, and thus mess up the taste of pizza.

Step 2/3

Now, put the palms of your hand side by side and cross the pointing fingers, then lightly press on the center of the ball of dough three times with your fingers positioned like that, flip it, and press on it the same way as previously three times more. By this point, a cornice (border) should be visible. Stretch the disc of dough a bit if necessary, but not too much.

Step 3/3

Lightly sprinkle the baking peel with flour, but not generously, then place the shaped pizza dough on the peel, disturbing it as little as possible in the process. The dough should still be able to move lightly when on the peel.

4

TOPPING (per pizza)

Step 1/2

Prep the mozzarella; cut it with a knife into thin sticks (for instructions on how to do that check out our “cooking tips” section).

Step 2/2

Add the toppings to the pizza; first, the tomato sauce, spiraling it with a spoon from the center outwards to the border. Then, add the mozzarella, the torn basil leaves, and the extra virgin olive oil, which should be applied in a swirling motion, to make a number six.

5

BAKING

Step 1/1

Slide the pizza onto a baking stone, which should have been preheating in the oven at maximum temperature for at least half an hour — bake the pizza for five to six minutes.

6

FINAL INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1/1

Make the remaining 8 pizzas the same way.

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