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Classic Neapolitan Pizza Margherita

A classic Neapolitan Pizza Margherita made from slow-fermented dough and topped with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil.
Servings 2 12-inch pizzas
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Dough fermentation 18 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Kitchen scale
  • Pizza stone or steel
  • Pizza Peel
  • Bench scraper

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

  • 3 cups 00 flour plus more for shaping
  • 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp instant yeast

Sauce and Toppings

  • 14 oz whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil plus more to finish
  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella well drained and torn
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 tbsp semolina flour for dusting the peel
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make and Ferment the Dough:

  • Stir the water and yeast together in a large bowl. Add the flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Rest for 10 minutes.
  • Add the salt and knead by hand for 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  • Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours. Divide into 2 balls, cover, and refrigerate for 16 to 48 hours.

Shape and Top:

  • Remove the dough from the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before baking. Heat the oven with a pizza stone or steel at its highest setting for at least 45 minutes.
  • Crush the tomatoes with the olive oil. Drain the mozzarella well and tear it into small pieces.
  • Dust a work surface with flour. Gently stretch one dough ball into a 12-inch round, leaving the rim slightly thicker. Transfer it to a semolina-dusted peel.
  • Spread a thin layer of tomato over the dough, leaving the rim bare. Add half the mozzarella and basil. Repeat with the second dough ball.

Bake and Serve:

  • Slide one pizza onto the hot stone or steel. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once if needed, until the rim is puffed and blistered and the cheese is melted.
  • Finish with olive oil and fresh basil. Rest for 1 minute, slice, and serve immediately.

Notes

  • A long cold fermentation gives the dough better flavor and a lighter rim.
  • Drain fresh mozzarella well so excess water does not make the center soggy.
  • If your oven cannot reach pizza-oven temperatures, use a preheated steel under the broiler for the final minute.

Nutrition

Calories: 760kcalCarbohydrates: 112gProtein: 32gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 1120mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7g
Calories: 760kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Neapolitan Pizza, Pizza Dough, Pizza Margherita