Description
Homemade margherita pizza brings classic Italian flavors to kitchens worldwide. Simple ingredients like fresh mozzarella, basil, and san marzano tomatoes create a delicious pizza you will savor with each bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Pizza Ingredients:
- 1 pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)
- 8 ounces (226 grams) fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) tomato sauce
Herbs and Seasonings:
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt (to taste)
Optional Spice:
- Crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 475F (245C), ensuring pizza stone is also preheated for optimal crispy crust.
- On a lightly floured surface, gently stretch and roll pizza dough into a thin 12-inch circular shape.
- Carefully slide the stretched dough onto a flour-dusted pizza peel or baking sheet to prevent sticking.
- Using the back of a spoon, spread tomato sauce across the dough, maintaining a small naked border around the edges.
- Artfully scatter fresh mozzarella pieces across the sauce, ensuring even coverage for balanced flavor.
- Enhance the pizza’s richness by delicately drizzling extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkling sea salt.
- Transfer pizza into the hot oven and bake for 12-14 minutes until the crust turns golden and cheese becomes molten and slightly charred.
- Immediately after removing from the oven, garnish with vibrant, torn fresh basil leaves for aromatic brightness.
- Optional: Sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes for a subtle, spicy kick.
Notes
- Always use a hot pizza stone or baking sheet to create a crispy, golden crust that mimics authentic Italian pizzerias.
- For a gluten-free version, swap traditional wheat dough with cauliflower or almond flour crust to accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Hand-tear fresh basil leaves just before adding to preserve their vibrant flavor and prevent wilting from heat.
- Experiment with high-quality, San Marzano tomatoes for sauce to elevate the pizza’s authentic taste and texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg