Name: Margherita Pizza
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: PT-484789H21M41S
Total time: PT-484789H21M41S
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: Pizza Dough: 1 ball (around 300g), room temperature is key! (store-bought or homemade); Pizza Sauce: 3 Tablespoons (good quality passata or pizza sauce); Fresh Mozzarella: 180g, cubed (pat dry if packed in water!); Parmesan Cheese: 1/4 cup, grated (freshly grated is best!); Fresh Basil Leaves: About 1 cup, whole leaves; Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 1 Tablespoon (for drizzling at the end); Optional: Flour or cornmeal for dusting

Margherita Pizza

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Taste Italy without leaving your kitchen! This recipe focuses on simple, amazing ingredients and high heat for a truly delicious, crispy-crusted Margherita pizza. Just like you’d get in Naples, but made by you.

Author: Paul Arif
Prep Time: 10 mins (+ dough rest & oven preheat)
Cook Time: 10-12 mins
Total Time: Approx. 1 hour (including essential preheat time!)
Yield: 2 people
Category: Main Course, Pizza
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Pizza Dough: 1 ball (around 300g), room temperature is key! (store-bought or homemade)
Pizza Sauce: 3 Tablespoons (good quality passata or pizza sauce)
Fresh Mozzarella: 180g, cubed (pat dry if packed in water!)
Parmesan Cheese: 1/4 cup, grated (freshly grated is best!)
Fresh Basil Leaves: About 1 cup, whole leaves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 1 Tablespoon (for drizzling at the end)
Optional: Flour or cornmeal for dusting

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Instructions

Heat It Up! Place a pizza stone or steel on an oven rack (upper-middle). Crank your oven to 525°F (275°C) or its highest setting. Let it get scorching hot for at least 45 minutes. Don’t skip this!
Shape the Dough: Lightly flour your surface. Gently stretch your room temperature dough into a ~12-inch circle. Aim for a thin center and a slightly thicker edge. Don’t force it – let it rest if it springs back. Place on a lightly dusted peel or parchment paper.
Top It Off: Spread the sauce thinly, leaving a small border. Scatter the cubed fresh mozzarella evenly. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan.
Bake Time! Carefully slide the pizza (with parchment if using) onto the hot stone/steel. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Look for a golden, bubbly crust and melted cheese.
The Finish: Remove pizza from oven. Immediately scatter the fresh basil leaves all over. Drizzle generously with the extra virgin olive oil. Slice and serve hot!

Notes

Serving: Perfect with a simple green salad (arugula!) and a crisp white wine.
Tips & Tricks:
- Room temp dough stretches much easier than cold dough. Seriously!
- Don’t overload the sauce or cheese – let the flavors shine.
- Patting the mozzarella dry prevents a soggy pizza.
- High heat + preheated stone = crispy crust. It’s the secret!
Storage & Reheating:
- Store cooled leftovers airtight in the fridge (2-3 days).
- Best Reheating: Oven/toaster oven (350°F / 175°C for 5-10 min) or a dry skillet (medium heat, covered briefly then uncovered) to re-crisp the crust. Avoid the microwave!

Find it online: https://recipesh.com/margherita-pizza/