Margherita Pizza – Delicious Recipe Ever

Homemade Pizza Dough:

• 2½ cups (300 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon active dry yeast or SAF instant yeast
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 7 ounces (105°F to 115°F) warm water
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• semolina and all-purpose flour for dusting the pizza peel

Pizza Sauce:

• 1 cup pureed or crushed canned San Marzano tomatoes (or canned Italian plum tomatoes)
• 2-3 fresh garlic cloves grated with a microplane or pressed
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
• 2-3 large pinches of kosher salt to taste
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Toppings:

• 2-3 tablespoons finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese plus more for serving
• 7 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese (not packed in water) cut into ½-inch cubes
• 5-6 large fresh basil leaves plus more for garnishing
• dried red pepper flakes optional

Instructions 

To make the pizza dough, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a medium-sized basin. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the dough just starts to come together after adding the warm water and olive oil. Don’t worry, even if it will appear dry and shaggy.

After scraping the dough onto a counter that has been well-floured, knead it for three minutes. It should come together fast and start to become sticky. Depending on the humidity levels, I may need to dust the dough with flour two or three times.

It should be somewhat tacky but not clinging to your counter. The dough should be sticky, smooth, and somewhat stretchy after three minutes. Pour a small amount of olive oil into a large mixing basin, then add the dough to the bowl.

Also See: Best Vegan Pizza – Delicious Recipe Ever

After covering the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, leave the dough to rise for two hours, or until it has doubled in size, in a warm, dry area of your kitchen. Proofing Tip: Take a large heatproof measuring cup of water and microwave it for two to three minutes if your kitchen is really cold. This makes the place feel cozy and pleasant.

After removing the cup, put the bowl of dough in the microwave to rise. [For freezing instructions, go to the note section if you are preparing the dough ahead of time.] Preheat Oven and Pizza Steel or Stone: For at least an hour, preheat the oven and steel to 550°F (285°C).

Position the pizza steel or stone on the second to top rack of your oven, about 8 inches from the broiler element. I advise heating it to a maximum of 500°F (260°C) if your oven cannot reach 550°F (285°C) or if you are using a sensitive pizza stone.

Put the ingredients together while the oven is heating up. Combine the pureed tomatoes, minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Place the cubed mozzarella cheese in a separate small bowl and blot dry with a paper towel to avoid over-moisturizing.

For easier grasping, set aside the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and basil leaves.Divide the dough into two parts that are the same size. It is OK that it will somewhat deflate. The dough should rest for five to ten minutes after being placed on a sizable plate or a lightly floured surface. It should be covered gently with plastic wrap.

Put the Pizza Together: Sprinkle the pizza peel (it’s tough, but you can try using the back of a half-sheet pan if you don’t have one!). Add a sprinkling of all-purpose flour and a tablespoon of semolina. One ball of pizza dough should be gently stretched into a about 10-inch circle with both hands; if it isn’t exactly consistent, that’s okay.

Give the dough five more minutes to rest if it springs back or if it is overly elastic. Make sure the dough is thin in the middle (if you held it up, you should be able to see some light through it); the dough’s edges can be slightly thicker. Gently place the dough onto the baking sheet or pizza peel that has been sprinkled with semolina and flour.

Using your fingertips, lightly drizzle or brush the dough with approximately one teaspoon of olive oil. With a big spoon, spread about ½ cup of the tomato sauce over the pizza dough, allowing ½ to ¾ inch around the edge. Use the spoon’s back to distribute it thinly and evenly.

Top the pizza sauce with a spoonful of parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Evenly distribute half of the cubed mozzarella over the whole pizza. Tear a couple large basil leaves with your hands, then sprinkle the basil on top of the pizza. At this stage, I sometimes stretch the dough’s sides slightly to make it even thinner.

Slide the pizza onto the hot baking stone with care, removing it from the peel. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until the pizza is golden brown around the edges, the cheese is bubbling and caramelizing, and the crust is golden. Note: You can finish the pizza on low or medium broil if you want extra color, but keep an eye on it!

With the pizza peel, carefully take the pizza out of the oven and place it on a foil-lined wooden cutting board. Then, sprinkle some olive oil, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and fresh basil chiffonade over the top. Cut into slices and serve right away, or make the second pizza.

Also See: Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe for Beginners – Delicious Recipe Ever

Serving Tip: If you are serving two pizzas at once, I suggest that you prepare the other pizza while the cooked pizza is on a separate baking sheet. To ensure that the prepared pizza is extra hot for serving, place it in the oven during the final few minutes of cooking (on a rack beneath the pizza stone).

If not, I suggest heating the oven, making the second pizza after everyone has eaten the first one, and serving the first one right out of the oven! In any case, the pizza tastes excellent, but it reaches its peak right out of the oven in a few of minutes.