Margherita Pizza
Make classic margherita pizza at home with this simple recipe! This Neapolitan pizza is fresh, delicious and easy to make. Recipe yields 2 medium (11-inch diameter) pizzas.
Ingredients
- 1batch easy whole wheat pizza dough or 1 pound store-bought pizza dough
- 1 largecan (28 ounces) whole san marzano tomatoes
- 12 ounces(dry weight) ovoline-type mozzarella or other fresh mozzarella balls, ideally water-packed
- handful of fresh basil, thinly sliced plus small leaves
- additional garnishes: drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, flaky sea salt or kosher salt and optional red pepper flakes
Directions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven. If you’re using a baking stone or baking steel, place it on the upper rack. Prepare dough through step 5.
- 2
Place a medium mixing bowl in the sink and pour the canned tomatoes into the bowl, juices and all. Crush the tomatoes by hand. Spread about ¾ cup of the tomato sauce evenly over each pizza, leaving about 1 inch bare around the edges.
- 3
If your mozzarella is packed in water, drain off the water and gently pat the mozzarella dry on a clean tea towel or paper towels. If you’re working with large mozzarella balls, tear them into smaller 1-inch balls. Distribute the mozzarella over the pizza, concentrating it a bit more in the center of the pizza, as it will melt toward the edges.
- 4
Bake pizzas individually on the top rack until the crust is golden and the cheese is just turning golden, about 10 to 12 minutes (or significantly less, if you’re using a baking stone/steel—keep an eye on it).
- 5
Top each pizza generously with fresh basil, followed by a light back-and-forth drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of salt, and red pepper flakes, if you wish. Slice and enjoy. Leftover pizza will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.