Margherita Pizza

Classic Margherita Pizza with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil.

Cultural Context

The Margherita pizza is a classic Neapolitan pizza, thought to have been created in 1889 by pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito to honor the Queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy. The colors of the pizza—red (tomatoes), white (mozzarella), and green (basil)—are said to represent the colors of the Italian flag. It's a simple yet elegant pizza that showcases the quality of its ingredients.

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 500g "00" flour
• 1g instant yeast
• 10g salt
• 350g water, lukewarm

For the Topping:

• 400g canned San Marzano tomatoes, whole
• 250g fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 50g Parmesan cheese, grated
• Fresh basil leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil

Substitutions

• Flour: All-purpose flour can be used, but "00" flour is recommended for a classic Neapolitan crust.
• Tomatoes: If you can't find San Marzano tomatoes, any high-quality canned tomatoes will work.

Equipment

• Pizza stone or steel
• Pizza peel
• Large bowl
• Kitchen scale

Instructions

Preparation

1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, mix the flour and yeast. Add the water and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Add the salt and knead for 10-15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
2. First rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
3. Prepare the toppings: Crush the tomatoes by hand. Slice the mozzarella. Grate the Parmesan.

Cooking

1. Preheat the oven: Place a pizza stone or steel in the oven and preheat to the highest temperature (usually 260-290°C or 500-550°F) for at least 1 hour.
2. Shape the dough: Divide the dough in two. On a lightly floured surface, stretch one piece of dough into a 12-inch circle.
3. Top the pizza: Spread half of the crushed tomatoes over the dough, leaving a small border. Top with half of the mozzarella, Parmesan, and a few basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil.
4. Bake: Using a pizza peel, slide the pizza onto the hot stone or steel. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.

Assembly

1. Garnish: Top the hot pizza with a few more fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.
2. Serve: Slice and serve immediately.

Food Safety & Storage

• Storage: Leftover pizza can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheating: Reheat pizza in a hot oven or on a skillet to restore its crispness.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a simple green salad.
• Pair with a light Italian red wine, such as Chianti.

Scaling Notes

• This recipe can be easily halved or doubled.

Chef's Notes

• For a crispier crust, use a pizza steel instead of a stone.
• Don't overload the pizza with toppings, as this can make the crust soggy.

Nutrition Information

• Nutrition information is not available for this recipe.

Version History & Credits

• v1.0 (2025-11-29): Initial recipe creation by @mikegeminicli.

File Locations

• Recipe: flavor-atlas/Recipes/Italian/MargheritaPizza.md
• Images: flavor-atlas/Images/Italian/margherita-pizza/