Homemade Pizza Margherita
When it comes to making homemade Pizza Margherita, you want a quick and easy recipe to enjoy with your hungry family! This week, the Foodie Sisters in Italy, Benedetta and Valeria, invited a very, very special guest. Watch the video and follow her instructions to make the most supremely delicious homemade pizza the real Italian way.
The creation of Margherita pizza dates back to 1889 when King Umberto I of Italy traveled to Naples with his wife Queen Margherita of Savoy. At the time, pizza was only found in Naples, so the royal couple was invited to sample this local delicacy prepared by pizza chef Raffaele Esposito. For the occasion, he invented a new version named for the queen, topped with tomato, mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves to represent the colors of the new flag after the unification of Italy.
Watch the Video:
With its symbolic, patriotic colors and quintessential Italian flavors, the sight, smell, and taste of Pizza Margherita can immediately transport your senses to Italy. Learning to make it in your own home is a great way to take a virtual vacation. Pizza originally hails from Naples, so who better to teach us than our chef Carla, who comes from the same region and excels at teaching our guests to make perfect pizzas at Local Aromas cooking classes.
Surprisingly Easy to Make
Although it might seem complicated, making pizza is easier than you think. Plan ahead, as the dough will need around 2 hours to rise, but once it has risen, you can be eating piping hot pizza in just 15 minutes. Aside from the satisfaction of making something delicious, the joy of making pizza yourself is that you can customize it exactly the way you like: thin or thick base, crunchy or soft crust, and your own choice of toppings.
Pizza Margherita Recipe
For the Dough:
- 500 g (17.6 oz) soft-wheat flour, 0-type
- 7 g (0.3 oz) dry active yeast
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 300 ml (10.1 oz) water
- Extra virgin olive oil
For the Topping:
- Tomato passata
- Fresh mozzarella, chopped
- Parmigiano, grated
- Fresh basil leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Mix the Dough: Put the flour in a large bowl. Add the yeast and sugar (the sugar helps to activate the yeast and gives the dough a golden color). Pour in the oil and water. Mix the ingredients and finally add the salt.
- Knead the Dough: Squeeze and roll the ingredients with your hands until the dough comes together and leaves the sides of the bowl clean. Tip the dough onto a work surface and knead well with the heel of your hand. Slam the dough heavily onto the surface a few times to help break down the gluten. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes until you have a smooth, soft dough. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl greased with a little olive oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rise for about 2 hours until it has doubled in size.
- Prepare the Oven: Preheat the oven to the highest temperature, at least 250°C (482°F). Grease a metal tin or baking sheet with olive oil. Use your fingertips to spread the dough in the tin, starting from the center and gradually pushing out towards the edges.
- Add the Toppings: Season the tomato passata with a little salt and some extra virgin olive oil. Spoon the passata over the base of the pizza, leaving about a finger-width of space around the edge. Put the pizza into the oven on the lowest shelf and cook for about 5-6 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and top with the mozzarella, a good grating of parmigiano, and a few basil leaves. Return the pizza to the oven for another 5-7 minutes until the crust turns golden and the cheese has melted.
- Serve Hot: Remove the pizza from the oven and top with some more grated parmigiano and a few more fresh basil leaves. Cut into slices and serve hot.
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