Description
Pizza Margherita was reportedly created in 1889 by Neapolitan pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito to honor Queen Margherita of Italy, with the three toppings representing the colors of the Italian flag — red tomato, white mozzarella, and green basil. Whether the story is true or embellished, the pizza itself is beyond dispute: it is one of the most iconic foods on earth. The dough requires time to develop flavor, so plan ahead.
Ingredients
Units
For the Dough
- 600 g (21 oz) Farro (or Kamut) flour
- sea salt, to taste
- 12 g (1/4 oz) instant dry yeast
- 500 ml (17 fl oz) water
For the Topping
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 500 ml (17 fl oz) tomato pulp
- a sprig of fresh basil
- buffalo mozzarella, to taste
Instructions
- Mix the flour, salt, and instant dry yeast together, adding the water little by little, until you get a soft dough.
- Let the dough rise for 20 minutes (recommended time if using instant yeast).
- Brown the garlic in the extra-virgin olive oil, then remove it. Add the tomato pulp and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Once cooked, stir in the remaining olive oil to taste and the basil.
- Roll out the dough on an oiled baking pan. Spread the tomato sauce over the dough, then slice the mozzarella and scatter it over the top.
- Season with plenty of extra-virgin olive oil and basil.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4) for 30 minutes.
Notes
- Cold-fermenting the dough for 24-72 hours is what develops the complex, slightly tangy flavor and the airy, blistered texture of a great Neapolitan crust.
- Less is more with the toppings — a thin smear of tomato and a few torn pieces of mozzarella is all you need. Overloading the pizza makes it soggy.
- A screaming-hot oven is essential. Preheat your pizza stone for at least 45 minutes at the highest temperature your oven can reach.
- Traditional Neapolitan pizza dough per AVPN rules contains only flour, water, salt, and yeast — no oil or sugar.
- Category: Classic
- Cuisine: Italian