Margherita Pizza Topping Recipes

AUTHENTIC PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Stir flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Set aside.
• Mix water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Let stand until yeast begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Stir half the flour mixture into yeast mixture until no dry spots remain. Stir in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When dough pulls together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, then place dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C)) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Punch dough down, divide into 4 equal pieces, and form each into a ball.
• Preheat oven with a pizza stone to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Stretch out and pat 1 dough ball to form a circle 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Place dough on a lightly floured pizza peel. Top with 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and spread to cover within an inch of the edge of the dough. Arrange 5 slices of mozzarella cheese on top of the tomato sauce, then place 5 basil leaves on top. Drizzle pizza with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Repeat for 3 remaining dough balls.
• Slide each pizza onto the pizza stone in the preheated oven. Bake until cheese is bubbly and the underside of the crust is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put a jelly roll pan or a half sheet pan in the oven.
• Begin by making the tomato sauce. In a large saute pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the minced garlic, thyme and oregano. Cook until just fragrant then add the crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Lower the heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavor. Shut off the heat and set aside.
• Take the preheated jelly roll pan out of the oven and drizzle some olive oil over the entire surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces and reserve 1 piece for another use. Stretch the pizza dough out so it is just bigger than the pan, then lay it inside the pan, so the dough comes up the sides to form a crust on the rim. Smear with tomato sauce then tear up the mozzarella and scatter it evenly over the top of the pie. Tear the basil leaves, spread them over the top and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Give it a final season with salt and pepper, to taste, then bake in the hot oven until golden and bubbly, about 15 to 18 minutes
• In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water and stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, 5 to 10 minutes.
• If you're using a stand mixer, combine the salt and flour to the bowl and pulse a few times to mix. Add the yeast mixture, at the lowest speed, until the flour incorporates. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough gathers into a ball. This should take about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough as you're making it by squeezing a small amount together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water, if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times, kneading until it's smooth and elastic.
• If you're making the dough by hand, add the yeast mixture to a large bowl and stir in the salt and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then begin stirring in the flour. When the mixture becomes too stiff to stir with a spoon, knead in the rest of the flour by hand, adding just enough so that the dough is soft but not too sticky. As you work, squeeze a small amount of dough together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
• Form the dough into a round and put it into a lightly oiled bowl, turning it over to coat the dough entirely with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e., over a gas pilot light) until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven, cut into slices and serve. .

CLASSIC MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with rack in lower third lined with a pizza stone or baking sheet. Turn dough out onto a pizza peel or thin wooden cutting board dusted with semolina (do not punch down). Starting in center and using both hands, press down and outward with your fingertips, rotating dough occasionally. Gradually work toward edges, leaving a 1-inch border of undisturbed dough, until it's stretched to an approximately 13-inch round.
• Lightly drizzle dough with oil; season with salt and pepper. Gently spread sauce evenly to just inside border, top evenly with mozzarella, and sprinkle with Parmigiano. With one quick forward-and-back jerking motion, slide pizza from peel onto stone. (This is not the moment to hesitate! Be brave and bold, and the pizza will slide off the peel.)
• Bake until crust is puffed, golden brown in places, and set on bottom, and cheese is bubbly, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pizza to a wire rack; let cool 2 to 3 minutes. Top with basil and pepper flakes, slice, and serve immediately.

MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Make the Sauce: In a medium bowl, stir together the tomatoes, garlic, salt, sugar, pepper, and oil. (Alternatively, for a completely smooth sauce, you can blend the ingredients in a small food processor or blender.)
• Preheat the oven to 500°F and set an oven rack in the bottom position. Dust a 13x18-inch baking sheet with half of the cornmeal.
• On a lightly floured surface, using your hands, stretch and press one ball of dough into an 11-inch round. Transfer the dough to the cornmeal-dusted baking sheet, and gently stretch it out again so that it maintains its shape.
• Spread ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 7 minutes, until the crust is partially cooked. Remove from the oven, and scatter half of the mozzarella cubes over the sauce, followed by half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Slide the pan back into the oven and cook until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 4 minutes more. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Sprinkle with the basil and slice. Repeat with the remaining pizza dough and ingredients. (If you'd like to bake the two pizzas at the same time, you can fire up two ovens. Or, if you don't mind the crust a little thicker, you can form the two dough balls into 8x12-inch rectangles and place them side by side on the baking sheet.)
• Note: This recipe makes enough sauce for 4 (11-inch) pizzas. Refrigerate extra sauce for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

MARGHERITA PIZZA TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Form dough to a medium pizza stone or pan per package instructions.
• Brush surface of dough with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with garlic.
• Arrange separated onion rings evenly atop garlic, leaving 1/2-inch space for pizza edge.
• Arrange tomato slices atop onions, overlapping slightly for maximum coverage.
• Sprinkle basil and red pepper flakes atop tomatoes and pizza edge.
• Arrange mozzarella evenly atop tomatoes.
• Sprinkle parmesan cheese atop mozzarella and pizza edge.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden, and cheese begins to bubble and brown.
• Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.
• Slice into eighths, serve and enjoy!

PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Make the dough: Fill a small bowl with hot tap water. Let the bowl sit 2 minutes, then dump the water. In the warmed bowl, combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, the sugar and 1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F). Let stand about 5 minutes. (The mixture will be creamy and slightly bubbly; if it isn't, start over with fresh new yeast.)
• In a large bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups flour and 2 teaspoons salt. Make a well in the center and stir in the yeast mixture, olive oil and 3/4 cup warm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F) with a wooden spoon. Mix until the dough starts to come away from the side of the bowl (it will be sticky). Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead with floured hands until soft and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball.
• Brush another large bowl with olive oil. Add the dough and roll to coat with the oil. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, put a pizza stone on the lowest oven rack and preheat to 500 degrees F. Let the stone preheat, about 1 hour.
• Make the sauce: Combine the olive oil, oregano, minced basil, tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan and cook over medium heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Season with pepper to taste.
• Transfer the dough to a floured surface and cut in half. Form each half into a disk and roll out into a 10-inch circle with a lightly floured rolling pin. (I like my pizza paper-thin!) Pinch around the edge to form a crust.
• Sprinkle a pizza peel with cornmeal and carefully slide one round of dough onto the peel. Jerk the peel in a back-and-forth motion once or twice to make sure the dough does not stick. (If the dough is sticking, add extra cornmeal.) Drizzle the dough with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and top with half of the sauce, leaving a small border.
• Transfer the dough to the hot stone in the oven, using a jerking motion to slide the dough off the peel. Bake 5 minutes. Using the peel, rotate the pizza for even browning and top with half of the mozzarella. Bake until the cheese melts and the crust is golden brown and crisp, 3 to 5 more minutes. Remove from the oven using the peel, transfer to a cutting board and scatter half of the basil on top. Repeat to make the second pizza.

PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine the oil, sugar, salt and 1 cup flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll each portion into a 13-in. circle. Transfer to two greased 14-in. pizza pans; build up edges slightly. Cover with a clean kitchen towel; let rest for 10 minutes., Spoon tomatoes over dough. Top with basil, oregano, cheese, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil. Bake at 450° for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

QUICK RISE PIZZA MARGHERITA (WITH TOPPING VARIATIONS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°, and spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle a little cornmeal over the spray.
• Heat water in microwave for 20 seconds, or use hot tap water heated to 110 - 120 degrees. Add white sugar and sea salt. Stir to dissolve.
• Add yeast, stir to dissolve, and cover with a towel. Let proof for 10 minutes. (The yeast should bubble and puff up, if not, then your yeast is no good. Start over with new yeast.).
• Combine flour and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl, add yeast mixture, and stir with a spoon until you can no longer stir it. Now use your hands to continue mixing and kneading the dough ball. Use additional flour on your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Knead dough for at least 10 minutes, then shape dough into one large round, or divide into four pieces for individual pies, and place on cookie sheet.
• Brush a thin coat of olive oil over dough, and then spread on sauce.
• Sprinkle sauce with Italian seasoning, cheese, basil and tomatoes.
• Cook for 5 - 10 minutes, but watch closely after 5 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before slicing.

MARGHERITA FLATBREAD PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Chop 1/2 of the basil leaves.
• Place a large saucepan over medium heat to warm. Put plum tomatoes in the pan and chop them up with a spatula. Bring to a simmer and add garlic, thyme sprigs, and chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until most of the moisture is gone, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs.
• Place flatbread on a baking sheet and cook in the preheated oven for 3 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Spread olive oil lightly over entire flatbread except the edge, then sprinkle with crushed red pepper. Spread tomato sauce on top of olive oil and place mozzarella on top. Layer with remaining whole basil leaves and tomato slices.
• Return to the oven and cook until crust is light brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone or tiles on the middle rack of your oven and turn heat to its highest setting. Let it heat for at least an hour.
• Put the sauce in the center of the stretched dough and use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly across the surface, stopping approximately 1/2 inch from the edges.
• Drizzle a little olive oil over the pie. Break the cheese into large pieces and place these gently on the sauce. Scatter basil leaves over the top.
• Using a pizza peel, pick up the pie and slide it onto the heated stone or tiles in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, approximately 4 to 8 minutes.