Dinner
Margherita Pizza
The good one. Crispy crust, San Marzano tomatoes, milky mozzarella, basil torn on at the end.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 32 min
- Makes
- 2 servings
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or upside-down baking sheet on the middle rack. Let it heat for at least 30–45 minutes.
-
On a lightly floured surface, stretch the dough into a 12-inch round. Don’t use a rolling pin — gentle pressing keeps the air pockets that make a great crust.
-
Transfer to a piece of parchment dusted with semolina or flour.
-
Spread the crushed tomatoes over the dough in a thin layer, leaving a half-inch border. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
-
Scatter the mozzarella pieces evenly over the top.
-
Drizzle with the olive oil.
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Slide the parchment with the pizza onto the hot stone. Bake for 8–12 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the cheese is bubbling.
-
Pull from the oven and immediately scatter the basil leaves and a pinch of flaky salt over the top. Slice and eat right away.
Notes
If you have a pizza stone or steel, preheat it for at least 45 minutes at the hottest your oven goes. The high heat is what makes the crust crisp on the bottom and chewy inside.