Margherita Pizza
Mains · Serves 4 · Prep 30 min · Cook 20 min · Total 50 min
Just tomato, mozzarella and basil, so every part has to be good: a well-rested dough, uncooked crushed tomatoes and the hottest oven you've got. A pizza steel or stone heated for a full hour is what gets you a blistered crust at home.
Ingredients
The Dough
- 3 cup bread flour (about 13 1/2 oz), plus more for dusting
- 1 tsp instant yeast (1/2 tsp if rising overnight in the fridge)
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp lukewarm water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
The Sauce and Toppings
- 1 can (15 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces and patted dry
- 12 fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 2 tbsp finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)
- 2 tbsp semolina or flour, for the peel
Steps
The Dough
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour and yeast. Add the water and oil and mix into a shaggy dough. Cover and rest for 15 minutes, then add the salt and knead until smooth and only slightly tacky, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. For the best flavor, give it 1 hour at room temperature and then refrigerate it for 24 to 72 hours.
- Divide the dough in half and shape each into a tight ball. Rest them covered on a floured counter until soft and relaxed, about 1 hour (2 hours if the dough was cold).
The Sauce and Toppings
- An hour before baking, set a pizza steel or stone on a rack about 6 inches below the broiler and heat the oven to its highest setting, 500 to 550°F.
- Crush the tomatoes by hand or pulse them briefly, without blending smooth, and stir in the salt. Don't cook the sauce; the oven does that.
- Press one ball from the center outward, leaving a 3/4-inch rim, then lift it over your knuckles and stretch into a 12-inch round. Skip the rolling pin; it flattens the air in the rim. Lay it on a peel dusted with semolina.
- Spread about 1/3 cup sauce thinly over the dough, scatter half the mozzarella and drizzle with a little oil. Slide it onto the steel and bake until the crust is puffed and charred in spots and the cheese is bubbling, 7 to 10 minutes. Switch to broil for the last 1 to 2 minutes if the top needs color.
- Top with basil, a drizzle of oil and Parmigiano if using. Rest 1 minute, slice and repeat with the second pizza.