Margherita Pizza

A chewy, blistered crust with bright no-cook tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil, made from scratch in an afternoon.

2 hr 29 min total with steps overlapped (4 hr 1 min if done in order). 35 min hands-on. Serves 2.

Ingredients

Pizza

  • 2 tbsp semolina, for the peel
  • 12 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Dough

  • 300 g bread flour
  • 1 tsp instant yeast
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 195 ml warm water, about 100°F
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp olive oil, for the bowl

Tomato sauce

  • 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, 14 oz
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, finely grated (optional)

Mozzarella

  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella

Steps

  1. 0:00 Mix Stir 300 g bread flour, 1 tsp instant yeast and 1 tsp fine sea salt in a large bowl. Add 195 ml warm water and 1 tbsp olive oil and mix into a shaggy dough. (4 min)
  2. 0:04 Knead Knead the dough on a clean counter until smooth and springy. Set it in a bowl greased with 1 tsp olive oil and cover. (8 min)
  3. 0:12 Rise Let the dough rise somewhere warm until doubled. (1 hr 30 min, hands-off)
  4. 0:12 Tear Tear 8 oz fresh mozzarella into 1 inch pieces and spread them on a paper towel lined plate. (2 min)
  5. 0:14 Crush Drain 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, then crush them by hand or pulse a few times in a blender. (3 min)
  6. 0:14 Drain Let the mozzarella drain in the fridge until you top the pizzas. (20 min, hands-off)
  7. 0:17 Season Stir in 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 clove garlic. (1 min)
  8. 1:11 Preheat Set the steel or stone on the upper middle rack and heat the oven as hot as it goes. (1 hr, hands-off)
  9. 1:42 Divide Divide the dough in half, shape each piece into a tight ball, and cover with a towel. (3 min)
  10. 1:45 Rest Let the balls rest until soft and relaxed. (20 min, hands-off)
  11. 2:05 Shape Stretch one ball into a 12 inch round with a slightly thicker rim and lay it on a peel dusted with semolina. (4 min)
  12. 2:09 Top Spread half the sauce over the dough, leaving the rim bare, and scatter over half the mozzarella. (2 min)
  13. 2:11 Bake Slide the pizza onto the steel and bake until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling. (8 min, hands-off)
  14. 2:11 Shape Stretch the second ball the same way and lay it on the peel, dusted again. (4 min)
  15. 2:15 Top Top it with the rest of the sauce and mozzarella. (2 min)
  16. 2:19 Bake Bake the second pizza on the steel the same way. (8 min, hands-off)
  17. 2:27 Serve Scatter 12 fresh basil leaves over the pizzas, drizzle with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, then slice and serve. (2 min)

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