The Queen of All Pizzas

Few dishes in the world carry as much symbolic weight as the Pizza Margherita. Created in Naples in 1889 — legend says in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy — this pizza distills Italian cuisine to its purest form: a handful of the finest ingredients, treated with care and cooked at fierce heat. If you can master the Margherita, you can make any pizza.

Ingredients (makes 2 pizzas)

For the Dough

  • 500g tipo 00 flour (or bread flour as a substitute)
  • 325ml cold water
  • 10g fine sea salt
  • 3g active dry yeast (or 1g instant yeast)
  • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

For the Topping

  • 200g San Marzano tomatoes (crushed by hand)
  • 200g fresh fior di latte mozzarella (or buffalo mozzarella)
  • A generous handful of fresh basil leaves
  • Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • Pinch of sea salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 — Make the Dough

Dissolve the yeast in the water and let it sit for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Slowly add the water-yeast mixture, mixing with your hands until a rough dough forms. Add the olive oil and knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour. Then refrigerate for at least 24 hours — this cold fermentation is the secret to complex flavor.

Step 2 — Prepare the Sauce

Authentic Neapolitan sauce is not cooked. Simply crush the San Marzano tomatoes by hand into a bowl, season with a pinch of salt, and your sauce is done. The oven does the rest of the work. Resist the urge to add garlic, herbs, or spices — let the tomatoes speak.

Step 3 — Shape the Pizza

Remove the dough from the fridge 2 hours before baking. Divide it into two equal balls. On a lightly floured surface, press each ball from the center outward using your fingertips, gently stretching the dough into a roughly 28–30cm circle. Never use a rolling pin — it destroys the air bubbles that give your crust its character.

Step 4 — Assemble

Spread a thin, even layer of crushed tomato over the base, leaving a 1.5cm border for the crust. Tear the mozzarella into rough pieces and distribute them evenly. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Step 5 — Bake

Preheat your oven to its maximum temperature (ideally 250–280°C / 480–540°F) with a pizza stone or baking steel inside for at least 45 minutes. Slide the pizza onto the stone and bake for 6–8 minutes, until the crust is puffed and lightly charred in spots and the cheese is bubbling.

Step 6 — Finish and Serve

Remove from the oven and immediately scatter fresh basil leaves over the top. The heat will gently wilt them and release their fragrance. Slice and serve at once — great pizza waits for no one.

Tips for Success

  • Don't skip cold fermentation. A 24–72 hour rest in the fridge dramatically improves flavor and texture.
  • Drain your mozzarella. Pat it dry before using to prevent a watery pizza.
  • Less is more. Overloading toppings steams the pizza rather than baking it.
  • Preheat thoroughly. A hot stone or steel is non-negotiable for a crisp base.

Once you've tasted a truly well-made Margherita, you'll understand why it has endured for over a century as Italy's most beloved pizza.