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Homemade Pizza Margherita
ItalianaAI Chef · Cookbook4all Team

Homemade Pizza Margherita

In Naples, Margherita was born as a lesson in simplicity: well-fermented dough, vibrant tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil. I'm Matteo, and here we don't hide a poor dough under mountains of cheese; few ingredients, maximum quality. This version works in a home oven because it uses generous hydration, sufficient resting time, and very high heat to achieve puffed edges, a flexible base, and golden spots. It doesn't aim to replace a wood oven but respects the Neapolitan spirit with a realistic technique for family cooking. When the table smells of basil and toasted bread, tradition has already done its job.

ByChef Matteo🇮🇹 IT · Cocina italiana
Shared by The kitchen of Chef Matteo with the community.Ready to cook, save, and share from your family cookbook.

Prep

155 min

Cook

18 min

Total

173 min

Yield

4 servings

Origin

IT · Cocina italiana

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Ingredients

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  • Wheat flour· plus a little if the dough sticks500 g
  • Purified water· warm, at 25-30°C325 ml
  • Active dry yeast· 1 standard packet7 g
  • Salt· for the dough10 g
  • fine semolina· for stretching and preventing sticking30 g
  • crushed San Marzano tomatoes· uncooked400 g
  • fresh mozzarella· well drained and torn250 g
  • Basil· whole12 piece
  • Extra virgin olive oil· for finishing30 ml

Method

  1. 01

    In a large bowl, mix type 00 wheat flour with instant dry yeast; gradually add the warm water and knead for 3 minutes until no dry parts remain.

  2. 02

    Incorporate fine salt and knead for 8-10 minutes until obtaining a smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky dough; if it sticks too much to your hands, sprinkle just a pinch of additional flour.

  3. 03

    Form a ball, cover it, and let it ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until it nearly doubles in volume and looks airy.

  4. 04

    Divide the dough into 2 equal balls, cover them, and rest for another 30 minutes; in the meantime, preheat the oven to 250-280°C with a pizza stone or thick tray inside for at least 30 minutes.

  5. 05

    Drain the fresh mozzarella and tear it by hand; gently press with paper towels to remove excess whey, so the pizza doesn't become soggy.

  6. 06

    Sprinkle the table with fine semolina and stretch one ball of dough from the center outwards, leaving a 1-2 cm border; form a discus of about 28 cm without flattening the edge.

  7. 07

    Cover the base with half of the crushed San Marzano tomatoes, distribute half of the fresh mozzarella, add 6 fresh basil leaves, and finish with 15 ml of extra virgin olive oil.

  8. 08

    Slide the pizza onto the hot stone or tray and bake for 7-9 minutes at 250-280°C, until the edge puffs up, browns in spots, and the mozzarella bubbles without drying out.

  9. 09

    Repeat the stretching, assembling, and baking with the second ball of dough, the remaining tomato, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil; serve immediately when the base is still crispy and flexible.

Chef tips

  • If you can't find type 00 flour, use strong wheat flour or bread flour; the dough will be slightly less fine but very tasty.
  • Don't cook the crushed San Marzano tomatoes: a Margherita should taste fresh and clean.
  • Drain the fresh mozzarella very well; excess whey is the most common cause of a soggy pizza.
  • If your oven only reaches 230°C, bake for 10-12 minutes and place the tray on the highest rack to brown better.
  • Store the already fermented dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, well covered; bring back to room temperature 45 minutes before stretching.

Classifications

Italianaeverydaydinnerall year

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