Margherita Pizza Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Margherita Pizza Recipe

A guide on making a Margherita Pizza, inspired by the classic Neapolitan style pizza in a high heat oven.

Prep Time15

Cook Time2

Oven Cook Time8

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American, Italian, Pizza

Keyword: margherita pizza recipe, pizza margherita

Servings: pizza

Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge

Cost: $5

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pizza dough (ideally 66% hydration and 220 - 250 grams in weight)
⅓ cup pizza sauce
90 grams fresh mozzarella cheese, pressed of water (About one large ball of cheese packed in water)
6 pieces fresh basil
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Maldon Salt (Flake salt for finishing)

Makes: 11inch round

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Warm Oven: Pre-warm the pizza oven so the pizza stone is 700 degrees Fahrenheit measured using a good instant read IR thermometer. The ambient cooking temperature will be 900 - 950 degrees F. Lightly flour a wooden pizza peel. (Metal pizza peels can be too warm and make it difficult to slide off onto the stone)
Prep Dough: Place the dough ball on the center of the pizza peel. With your fingers, gently press the dough in the center and slowly press and work your way outward to stretch the dough into a 10 or 11-inch width. Use your fingers to then pinch around the edge so you have a slightly larger edge than the center. We do not recommend using a rolling pin as that will cause the air pockets that make great texture from forming.
Make Pizza: Gently slap the center of the dough, this removes excess bubbles. DO NOT USE A FORK to press out bubbles on this style of pizza. Lift the edges of the dough and dust with more flour so it’s easy to slide on the peel. While dough is on the wooden peel, add the tomato sauce and spread out with a large spoon. You want a light coating. Add the mozzarella cheese and then the fresh basil.
Bake: Place the pizza in the pizza oven with the stone at 700 degrees. Using a turning pizza peel, slowly rotate the pizza every 10 – 15 seconds to allow for an even cook. After the pizza has rotated fully, the edges should have raised, and the cheese should be slightly bubbling. You can lift the pizza and see if the bottom of the crust has the right leopard style spots.
Slice: Remove the pizza, and then top with a light amount of olive oil and then some finishing salt. Slice and serve.

Notes

Modification for the Kitchen Oven:

If you do not have a pizza oven that can get a stone to 700 degrees, the next best option is to use your oven and a pizza stone. This method is inspired by Ken Forkish, a legend in wood fired pizzas.

Total cooking time (excluding the preheat): 8 minutes

Position your pizza stone to the third slot from the broiler (6-8 inches from the broiler). Preheat your oven and pizza stone to 550 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Then put the broiler on high for 10 minutes. This adds more heat to get the pizza stone to 600 degrees F. You don't want the stone on the top slot as the amount of heat may crack the stone.
After 10 minutes, turn off broil and adjust the heat back to 550 degrees F and then place the pizza directly on the stone. Cook for two minutes, and then rotate the pizza 180 degrees using a turning pizza peel or tongs.
Let cook an additional 4 minutes and then turn the broiler on high. Cook an additional 2 minutes under broiler or until you see the mozzarella melted and the base of the dough cooked.
Remove, add finishing salt and then serve.

Nutrition