Pizza Margherita

Pizza margherita

Pizza is everyone’s favorite pie for lunch, dinner, and even for breakfast. This simple dough recipe is worth the wait for a delectable pizza in the colors of Italy’s flag— white mozzarella, red tomato sauce, and fresh green basil. This pizza was created in honor of Queen Margherita’s visit to Naples in 1889. Buon appetito! Recipe Servings: Serves 4

Prep Time

2 hours 30 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Total Time

2 hours 45 minutes

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Kosher

Halal

Ingredients

Dough:

1.5 tsp (7.5 ml) instant yeast
1 cup (240 ml) warm water
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
3 1/2 cups (400 g) flour
1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil

Topping and Assembly:

3 Tbsp (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium red onion (or shallot), thinly sliced
1 Tbsp (15 ml) chopped parsley
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) oregano
1 1/2 cups (340 g) peeled canned tomatoes
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
1 cup (113 g) thinly sliced mozzarella
2 Tbsp (30 ml) basil leaves
1 tsp (5 ml) freshly ground pepper

Directions

Dough:
Dissolve yeast and salt in warm water.
Add flour and mix well, until dough doesn’t stick to sides of bowl.
Shape dough into a ball, grease dough and bowl with oil. Cover and let rise for 2 hours.
Divide into 4 pieces and flatten into 10-inch rounds with slightly raised rims to hold in toppings.
Sauce and Assembly:
Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C). Have pizza stones ready.
Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oil on medium high.
Caramelize garlic and onion for 3 minutes.
Add parsley, oregano, tomatoes, and salt. Mash and cook for 10 minutes for a thickened sauce.
Spread sauce on dough, top with mozzarella, basil (leave half for garnish), and pepper.
Bake for 12–15 minutes.
Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.