Pizza Margherita
Naples in three toppings
Neapolitan-style pizza margherita with a slow-fermented dough, San Marzano tomato, fior di latte and fresh basil, baked as hot as your oven allows.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 24 hr
- Serves
- 4 pizzas
Ingredients
- 500 g 00 flour
- 325 g water
- 10 g salt
- 1 g instant yeast
- 1 14-oz can San Marzano tomatoes, hand-crushed
- 12 oz fior di latte or fresh mozzarella, torn and drained
- Fresh basil
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 01
Mix and rest. Combine flour, water, salt and yeast into a shaggy dough. Rest 20 minutes, then knead until smooth.
- 02
Ferment. Bulk ferment 2 hours at room temperature, then refrigerate 24 hours. Divide into four 200 g balls and proof 2 hours before baking.
- 03
Preheat hard. Heat a pizza steel or stone at the highest oven setting for a full hour.
- 04
Shape by hand. Press the dough from the center out, leaving a puffed rim. Never use a rolling pin.
- 05
Dress lightly. Spread crushed tomato with salt, scatter torn mozzarella and a drizzle of oil. Less is more.
- 06
Bake and finish. Bake 6–8 minutes until the crust is blistered and the cheese is molten. Add fresh basil out of the oven.
Larry’s rule: Drain the mozzarella on paper towels for 30 minutes. Wet cheese equals soup pizza.