Description
This Homemade Margherita Pizza recipe guides you through creating a classic Italian favorite with a crispy crust, flavorful tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and fragrant basil. Using a homemade or store-bought pizza dough, fire-roasted tomato sauce blended with garlic and oregano, and a high-heat oven bake on a pizza stone replicates the authentic pizzeria experience at home in about an hour.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 ball Best Pizza Dough* (or Thin Crust Dough or KitchenAid Pizza Dough)
- Semolina flour or cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel
For the Sauce
- 1 small garlic clove (1/2 medium)
- 15 ounces crushed fire roasted tomatoes or San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (scant)
For the Toppings
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup pizza sauce (from blended mixture)
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or 2 to 3 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese, for topping (optional)
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the pizza dough: Follow the Best Pizza Dough recipe to prepare the dough. This involves mixing and kneading the dough (about 15 minutes) followed by a resting period of 45 minutes to allow the gluten to develop and the dough to rise.
- Preheat the oven and pizza stone: Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. Alternatively, preheat your pizza oven if using one.
- Make the pizza sauce: Roughly chop the garlic and add it along with the crushed fire roasted tomatoes, olive oil, dried oregano, and kosher salt into a blender. Blend until smooth and fully combined. Reserve about 1/3 cup for the pizza; refrigerate any leftovers for up to one week.
- Prepare the cheese: If using fresh mozzarella, slice it into 1/4 inch thick pieces. To reduce moisture, let the fresh mozzarella sit on a paper towel for 15 minutes, then gently dab it dry before using.
- Shape the pizza dough: Dust a pizza peel with semolina flour or cornmeal to prevent sticking. Stretch the dough into a circle using your hands or the method described in the referenced dough stretching guide. Place the stretched dough gently onto the dusted pizza peel.
- Add sauce and toppings: Spread a thin layer of the prepared pizza sauce over the stretched dough, using about 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Evenly distribute the mozzarella cheese on top. If desired, sprinkle a thin layer of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of kosher salt over the pizza.
- Bake the pizza: Using the pizza peel, carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and slightly browned, approximately 5 to 7 minutes in a conventional oven or about 1 minute in a pizza oven.
- Finish and serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for a minute or two. Add fresh basil leaves on top, either whole, torn, or sliced thinly. Slice and serve immediately for the best taste and texture.
Notes
- Use semolina flour or cornmeal on the pizza peel to prevent sticking and make transferring the pizza easier.
- If fresh mozzarella is watery, drying it before use improves crust crispiness by reducing moisture.
- You can reserve extra pizza sauce in the refrigerator for up to one week for future use.
- Preheating the pizza stone is essential to achieve a crispy bottom crust similar to traditional pizzeria pizzas.
- A pizza peel is recommended for easier handling but can be substituted with a rimless baking sheet if necessary.
- The pizza cooks very quickly at high temperature, so watch closely to prevent burning.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
