How to make Margherita Pizza? (Bubbly Crust)

• Food: Margherita Pizza
• Writer: Lizzie Green
• Content-Type: Food Blog

Pizza always makes a bad day better, and nothing beats a perfectly cooked slice of Margherita pizza. You may now create this dish at home whenever the urge strikes!

The pizza Margherita, as it is known in Italy, is a plain pizza from Naples.

Margherita pizza is made with a bubbly crust, crushed San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt when done properly. That is all there is to it.

Sure, you could throw in tomato if you like, but only if it’s truly ripe, red, and deserving. Fresh tomato is not required for authentic Neapolitan pizza Margherita.

You won’t miss the tomato on top if you make this pizza exactly as suggested. When it comes to design, sometimes less is more.

This pizza is easy, fresh, and sure to please a crowd. It’s a joy to make and even more so to consume. Tonight, how about some pizza?

Ingredients for Pizza Margherita

• Pizza Dough: I used my go-to whole-wheat pizza crust as usual. It doesn’t even taste like whole wheat when prepared with white whole-wheat flour!
• Tomatoes from San Marzano: San Marzano tomatoes are a unique plum tomato species that originated in the San Marzano region of Italy, near Naples. San Marzano tomatoes are sweet and flavorful. The tomato sauce inside the can is also thicker than that of most other whole-canned tomatoes. They are unique. The typical choice for pizza Margherita is San Marzano tomatoes, which produce the right sauce. Before using, simply empty the entire can into a bowl and crush the tomatoes by hand.
• Mozzarella Balls (Fresh Mozzarella): Instead of being vacuum-sealed, look for mozzarella balls that are packed in water. The flavor and texture of water-packed mozzarella are superior to vacuum-sealed mozzarella, which can taste rubbery. My favorite mozzarella balls for pizza Margherita are online mozzarella balls, which are the right size (about 1-inch in diameter). It’s fine to use larger or smaller mozzarella balls. Simply rip them into smaller pieces as needed. Water-packed provolone mozzarella is available at Whole Foods, and one container is enough for two pizzas (12 ounces dry weight). Bocconcini mozzarella balls are very delicious.
• Basil leaves: Fresh basil is a must-have ingredient. Sprinkle a handful of freshly cut basil on each pizza when it comes out of the oven. I also like to throw in a few little basil leaves as a finishing touch. Cute!
• Salt with olive oil: Without a thin sprinkle of extra-virgin olive oil, a Margherita pizza is incomplete. Pour with caution to avoid accidentally overdoing it.
• Finally, season with flaky sea salt or kosher salt. Because our sauce isn’t salted, a light sprinkle of salt will help bring out the greatest tastes in this pizza.

Margherita Pizza

With this easy recipe, you can make delicious mMargheritapizza at home! This Neapolitan pizza is light, flavorful, and simple to prepare. 2 medium (11-inch diameter) pizzas from this recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound store-bought pizza dough or 1 batch of simple whole-wheat pizza dough
• 1 quart can (28 ounces) Sof an Marzano tomatoes, whole
• 12 fluid ounces (dry weight) water-packed ovoline-type mozzarella or other fresh mozzarella balls
• a handful of freshly sliced fresh basil, plus a few small leaves
• Extra garnishes include: Optional red pepper flakes, extra-virgin olive oil, flaky sea salt or kosher salt, and a
• drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F and place a rack in the upper third of the oven. Place a baking stone or baking steel on the higher rack if you’re using one. Step 5: Prepare the dough
2. Fill a medium mixing bowl with canned tomatoes, fluids, and all, and place it in the sink. Hand-crush the tomatoes. Spread approximately a third of a cup of tomato sauce over each pizza, leaving about an inch around the edges bare.
3. If your mozzarella comes packed in water, drain it and carefully wipe it dry with a clean tea towel or paper towel. If you’re working with huge mozzarella balls, cut them into 1-inch pieces. Distribute the mozzarella over the pizza, concentrating it a little more in the middle because it will melt as it gets closer to the edges.
4. Bake the pizzas separately on the top rack for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is brown and the cheese is just becoming golden (or substantially less if you’re using a baking stone/steel—keep an eye on it).
5. Fresh basil, a gentle back-and-forth drizzle of olive oil, a dusting of salt, and red pepper flakes, if desired, should be generously applied to each pizza. Cut into slices and eat. Pizza leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.

NOTES

• MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE AND VEGAN: While not conventional, vegan sour cream sprinkled across the pizza before and after baking would be delicious. In the pizza crust preparation, simply leave out the Parmesan.
• Substitute your favorite homemade or store-bought pizza dough to MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE.