Naples' defining pizza, named for Queen Margherita, on a slow-proved 00 flour dough topped simply with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil.
Mix the dough
Dissolve the yeast in the cold water, then mix into the 00 flour and salt, kneading until you get a smooth, slightly sticky dough.
10 minLong slow rise
Cover the dough and let it prove at cool room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight, until roughly tripled and full of air bubbles.
Divide into balls
Divide the dough into four portions and shape each into a tight ball.
Second rest
Let the dough balls rest at room temperature until relaxed and easy to stretch.
60 minSeason the tomato
Season the crushed San Marzano tomatoes with a pinch of salt; this is the only cooking the sauce needs.
Stretch the base
Stretch and press each dough ball out by hand into a thin round, leaving a slightly thicker rim.
Top the pizza
Spread a thin layer of the seasoned tomato over the base, then scatter with torn mozzarella.
Bake at high heat
Bake in the hottest oven your kitchen can reach, ideally with a pizza stone or steel preheated well in advance, until the crust is blistered and the cheese is bubbling.
Finish and serve
Scatter fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil over the hot pizza, then slice and serve immediately.
No reviews yet — be the first to cook it.