Tulo

Classic Margherita Pizza Recipe

A classic Neapolitan-style margherita pizza with a thin, chewy crust, San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil.
Photo by Willians Huerta on Pexels

Baking at the highest heat your oven can reach, ideally on a preheated stone or steel, is what gets the crust properly blistered and chewy in the few minutes it takes the cheese and toppings to cook, a cooler oven just dries the dough out instead.

Prep
30 min
Cook
10 min
Total
150 min
Servings
4

Ingredients

Servings4
  • 3 cups bread flour
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water
  • 1 tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella, torn or sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

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Instructions

  1. 1Whisk the yeast into the warm water and let sit until foamy, about 5-10 minutes.
  2. 2Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl, then add the yeast mixture and olive oil, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.
  3. 3Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1.5-2 hours.
  4. 4Divide the dough into two balls, cover, and let rest another 15-20 minutes.
  5. 5Place a pizza stone or steel in the oven and preheat to its highest setting, at least 500°F (260°C), for 45 minutes to an hour.
  6. 6Stretch one dough ball by hand into a 10-12 inch round, working from the center outward and leaving a slightly thicker rim.
  7. 7Spread a thin layer of the crushed tomatoes over the dough, leaving the rim bare.
  8. 8Scatter torn mozzarella evenly over the top.
  9. 9Slide the pizza onto the hot stone and bake for 6-9 minutes, until the crust is blistered and golden and the cheese is bubbling.
  10. 10Remove, top with fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil, and slice immediately.

Tips & variations

  • Use tomatoes sparingly, a thin layer, this is a defining trait of Neapolitan-style pizza and keeps the crust from turning soggy.
  • A pizza steel conducts heat even better than a stone and can push the crust closer to what a wood-fired oven produces.
  • Fresh mozzarella releases more water than low-moisture mozzarella, tear it and let it drain briefly on a paper towel if your dough is on the thinner side.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftover slices up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat, covered, to re-crisp the bottom without drying out the cheese, or in a 400°F oven for a few minutes. Microwaving will make the crust soft.

Nutrition

A simply-topped pizza, moderate in carbohydrates from the crust with protein and fat from the mozzarella.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Stretch the dough by hand rather than with a rolling pin, a rolling pin presses out the air bubbles that give the crust its characteristic chewy-light texture.
  • Have all your toppings ready to go before you stretch the dough, the pizza needs to go from counter to hot stone quickly before it starts sticking.

FAQ

Do I need a pizza stone to make good pizza at home?

A stone or steel helps significantly by holding and transferring high heat quickly, but a well-preheated heavy baking sheet, flipped upside down, is a reasonable substitute.

Why is my pizza crust soggy in the middle?

This is usually from too much sauce, too much moisture in the mozzarella, or an oven that wasn't hot enough. Use a thin layer of sauce, drain wet mozzarella briefly, and preheat the stone thoroughly.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, after the first rise, the dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days (a longer, cold rise actually improves the flavor) or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw and bring to room temperature before shaping.

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