Very Simple Margherita Pizza Recipes

VERY SIMPLE MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. Oil a 20 x 24cm baking tray. Mix the flour, yeast, ¼ tsp salt and the sugar in a bowl, then stir in the water. Bring the mixture together, knead until smooth, then press into the oiled tray.
• Spread passata over the dough, leaving a thin border round the edge. Season the passata, then sprinkle with the chopped basil, the mozzarella and the Parmesan, and bake for 15-20 mins or until cooked through. Scatter with the remaining basil and serve with a side salad.

AUTHENTIC PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Stir flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Set aside.
• Mix water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Let stand until yeast begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Stir half the flour mixture into yeast mixture until no dry spots remain. Stir in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When dough pulls together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, then place dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C)) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Punch dough down, divide into 4 equal pieces, and form each into a ball.
• Preheat oven with a pizza stone to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Stretch out and pat 1 dough ball to form a circle 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Place dough on a lightly floured pizza peel. Top with 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and spread to cover within an inch of the edge of the dough. Arrange 5 slices of mozzarella cheese on top of the tomato sauce, then place 5 basil leaves on top. Drizzle pizza with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Repeat for 3 remaining dough balls.
• Slide each pizza onto the pizza stone in the preheated oven. Bake until cheese is bubbly and the underside of the crust is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

MARGARITA PIZZA

Steps:

• In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk well.
• Add the yogurt and mix with a fork or spatula until well combined, it will look like small crumbles.
• Lightly dust flour on a work surface and remove dough from the bowl, knead the dough a few times until dough is tacky, but not sticky, about 20 turns (it should not leave dough on your hand when you pull away).
• Preheat oven to 450F. I like to use a pizza stone, and preheat the stone in the oven as well. If using a round pizza pan or sheet pan, spray with oil.
• Sprinkle a work surface and rolling pin with a little flour and roll the dough out into a large thin round or oval (or you can make 2 smaller pies).
• Lay the dough out onto the oiled nonstick pizza dish or sheet pan.
• Spread the sauce over the crust. Top with cheese and place the pan on the pizza stone, bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is cooked through.
• Transfer to a cutting board, top with basil and drizzle with olive oil, if desired. Slice the pie into 8 slices.

MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone in the center rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F for 1 to 2 hours before you're ready to bake the pizza to get the stone nice and hot.
• Generously sprinkle a flat work surface with flour. Use a rolling pin to stretch the dough into an 11-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the lightly floured pizza peel or unrimmed baking sheet so it can slide right onto the pizza stone in the oven. (I use the bottom of a baking sheet.)
• In a large bowl, hand crush the tomatoes, drizzle in a little olive oil and season with salt to taste. Spread the sauce on the dough, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the edges for the crust (my favorite part!). (Refrigerate the remaining sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days.) Tear the mozzarella into pieces and layer all over the pie. Sprinkle with Parmesan and basil and drizzle with oil.
• Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler. Use the peel or baking sheet to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone. The heat from the stone will cook the bottom of the pizza and the boiler will char and cook the top, mimicking a Neapolitan pizza oven. Bake until the bottom is cooked and the top is charred, 5 to 6 minutes. Drizzle with more olive oil, basil and Parmesan. Slice the hot pizza and serve immediately.