Pizza Margherita in 4 Easy Steps Recipe

Introduction

Pizza Margherita is a timeless classic that brings together a crisp thin crust, rich tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and fragrant basil. This simple recipe breaks down the process into four easy steps, perfect for making delicious homemade pizza with minimal fuss.

Ingredients

• 300g strong bread flour
• 1 tsp instant yeast (from a sachet or a tub)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 100ml passata
• Handful fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 125g ball mozzarella, sliced
• Handful grated or shaved parmesan
• Handful cherry tomatoes, halved
• Handful basil leaves (optional, for serving)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Make the base: Put the flour into a large bowl, then stir in the yeast and salt. Make a well in the center, pour in 200ml warm water and the olive oil, and bring together with a wooden spoon until a soft, fairly wet dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Cover with a tea towel and set aside. Rising is optional for a thin crust.
2. Step 2: Make the sauce: Mix the passata, basil, and crushed garlic together in a bowl. Season to taste and leave to stand at room temperature while shaping the dough.
3. Step 3: Roll out the dough: If the dough has risen, give it a quick knead, then divide into two balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a thin round about 25cm across. Lift the rounds onto floured baking sheets.
4. Step 4: Top and bake: Preheat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan)/gas mark 8. Place a baking sheet or upside-down tray on the top shelf to heat. Spread sauce over the pizza bases, then scatter with mozzarella, parmesan, and cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and season. Slide one pizza (on its baking sheet) onto the preheated tray and bake for 8-10 minutes until crisp. Serve with extra olive oil and basil leaves if desired. Repeat with the second pizza.

Tips & Variations

• If your dough is too wet, add a little more flour and knead it in.
• If the dough is too stretchy to roll out, let it rest for 10 minutes before trying again.
• For a perfectly cooked base, bake the pizza on a preheated baking tray or sheet.
• If topping cooks too quickly, cover the pizza with foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
• Add toppings like olives, ham, spicy sausage, spinach with garlic, or creamy mascarpone for variety.
• Try making a calzone by folding the pizza in half and sealing the edges before baking.
• Make garlic and rosemary bread by leaving dough thicker, brushing with oil, adding rosemary sprigs, and baking for 15 minutes. Brush with garlic butter after baking.

Storage

Store any leftover pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a hot oven or skillet to keep the crust crispy. The dough can be prepared in advance and refrigerated or frozen before rolling out.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular flour instead of strong bread flour?

Strong bread flour gives the dough good structure and chewiness, but you can use plain flour in a pinch. Be aware the texture may be a bit softer and less chewy.

Is it necessary to let the dough rise?

Letting the dough rise is optional for this thin crust recipe. Rising helps develop flavor and texture, but you can skip it for a quicker preparation.

Pizza Margherita in 4 Easy Steps Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 86 reviews

• Author: Noah
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 2 pizzas (about 25cm each) 1x

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Description

This classic Pizza Margherita recipe is simple and quick, featuring a thin, crispy crust topped with a rich tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, parmesan, cherry tomatoes, and fragrant basil. Perfect for a delicious homemade pizza experience in just four easy steps, with options for customizing toppings or making a calzone or garlic & rosemary bread.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dough

• 300g strong bread flour
• 1 tsp instant yeast (from a sachet or a tub)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 200ml warm water (for dough)

Tomato Sauce

• 100ml passata
• Handful fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Toppings

• 125g ball mozzarella, sliced
• Handful grated or shaved parmesan
• Handful cherry tomatoes, halved
• Handful basil leaves (optional, for garnish)

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Instructions

1. Make the base: In a large bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in 200ml warm water and 1 tbsp olive oil. Use a wooden spoon to bring the mixture together into a soft, fairly wet dough. Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Cover with a tea towel and set aside. You may let it rise for a thinner crust, but it is not essential.
2. Make the sauce: Mix the passata with the fresh or dried basil and crushed garlic clove. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Let it stand at room temperature while you prepare the dough base.
3. Roll out the dough: If you allowed the dough to rise, give it a quick knead and divide it into two balls. On a floured surface, roll out each ball into a large thin round about 25cm in diameter using a rolling pin. The dough should be very thin to ensure a crispy crust. Transfer the rounds onto two floured baking sheets.
4. Top and bake: Preheat your oven to 240°C (fan 220°C / gas mark 8). Place an additional baking sheet or an upturned baking tray on the top shelf of the oven to preheat. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the dough bases with the back of a spoon. Scatter slices of mozzarella, shaved parmesan, and halved cherry tomatoes over the sauce. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Carefully place one pizza on its baking sheet on top of the preheated tray in the oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the crust is crisp and golden and the cheese melted. Remove and drizzle with more olive oil and fresh basil leaves if using. Repeat with the second pizza.

Notes

• If the dough is too wet, add a little more flour and knead it in.
• If the dough is too stretchy and hard to roll, rest it for 10 minutes before trying again. Use firm pressure when rolling.
• If the base isn’t cooked through, baking on a preheated tray should help. Make sure the base isn’t too thick or overloaded with toppings.
• If toppings are cooking faster than the base, cover the pizza loosely with foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
• To customize, try toppings like olives, ham, artichokes, spicy sausage, jalapeños, spinach, gorgonzola, mascarpone, pesto, roasted peppers, or mushrooms.
• For a calzone, fold the dough over half of the toppings, seal with water, and bake until golden.
• For garlic & rosemary bread, keep the dough thicker, brush with oil, stud with rosemary sprigs, bake for 15 minutes, and finish with garlic butter.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: Pizza Margherita, homemade pizza, Italian pizza, thin crust pizza, easy pizza recipe, mozzarella pizza, tomato basil pizza