Neapolitan Margherita Pizza Recipes

TRUE TRADITIONAL NEAPOLITAN PIZZA MARGHERITA ( TRADITIONAL SPECIALITY GUARANTEED - TSG ) RECIPE

Steps:

• 01 - Put the Hot Water in a bowl. 02 - Add Yeast and stir gently and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the yeast activates by turning into a foam on top of the water. 03 - Now, add the Salt. 04 - Gradually add in the Flour as you stir the mixture simultaneously. You know you have added enough Flour when the mixture becomes too thick to stir. 05 - Knead the dough. 06 - Take the Dough out of the bowl and put it on a clean and well-floured surface ( a marble counter or clean table is best ). 07 - Gather the Dough into a pile and begin pressing it together. Press the heels of your hands firmly into the Dough, pushing forward slightly. 08 - Fold the far edge of the Dough upwards, towards you, and press it into the middle of the ball. Rotate it slightly, too. Repeat this press-fold-turn sequence for the duration of the kneading process. 09 - Let the Dough rise up for 1 hour at room temperature or 5 hours in the refrigerator.

NEAPOLITAN MARGHERITA PIZZA RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth. This will render more sauce than you need, but you'll only want about 1/2 a cup of sauce for the pizza. Don't be concerned if the sauce appears to be a little runny.
• Preheat the oven to 500 °F. Place the pizza stone in the oven and let preheat for 45 minutes to one hour.
• Meanwhile, roll out the dough into a 12-inch crust. Be sure the dough is adequately floured and not sticky. A little extra is better.
• Place a small handful of flour onto a pizza peel and spread evenly to prevent the dough from sticking to the peel.
• Transfer the dough onto the peel. Top with a light coating of evenly spread olive oil. Use the backside of the spoon to spread the oil over the entire crust. Sprinkle with a little salt. Evenly coat with pizza sauce leaving a 1-inch crust all the way around. Add the fresh mozzarella.
• Slide the finished pizza onto the pizza stone and bake for 10-15 minutes. Be sure to carefully watch the pizza because all ovens will cook at different rates. Sometimes it will only take 10 minutes to fully cook.
• Once the pizza is golden, turn the oven to high-broil and let broil for about 1 minute, or until crust and cheese presents a few lightly charred spots. Remove from the oven, let cool, and serve topped with fresh basil.

NEAPOLITAN PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Make a homemade pizza dough according to our recipe for Italian pizza dough or alternatively use a store-bought pizza dough. A homemade pizza dough, of course, tastes much better than store-bought dough and should be preferred.
• Shape the pizza dough with your hands into a thin round pizza.
• Coat the pizza with the tomato sauce. Leave about 1 inch on the pizza rim.
• Cut the mozzarella into thin slices and spread on the pizza. If you like it more aromatic, just add some Parmigiano Reggiano.
• Drizzle with some Italian olive oil.
• Pour some basil leaves on the Pizza Margherita. For a more intense basil taste add the basil after baking the pizza.
• Bake in the oven for about 5 to 10 minutes at the highest temperature. The baking time depends enormously on the maximum temperature of the oven and the use of a pizza stone.
• Pizza Margherita needs about 4 to 5 minutes at 300 degrees Celsius with a pizza stone. At 250 degrees without pizza stone, however, it takes about 10 minutes. A detailed guide to baking pizza can be found here: Bake the perfect pizza.

EASY SKILLET NEAPOLITAN MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Turn the oven broiler to high. Heat a cast-iron skillet on the stove, over medium-high heat.
• Transfer pizza dough onto a floured surface. Gently press the pizza dough with your fingers into an 8-inch circle. Sprinkle some flour if needed to prevent stickiness.
• Have your pizza sauce and ingredients prepped and ready close by. Once the skillet is hot, place the flattened dough onto the skillet. Stretch out the dough a bit more to let it spread over the entire skillet. Quickly add the pizza sauce and spread evenly over the pizza crust. Place sliced fresh mozzarella cheese and basil leaves evenly on top.
• Leave the pizza to cook on the skillet for 5 minutes or until the bottom of the crust starts to brown.
• Transfer the cast-iron skillet to the preheated broiler and cook for 3 minutes or until the crust is blistered and slightly charred. Keep your eye closely on the broil, because the intense heat can make pizza crust burn quite quickly.
• Remove the skillet and transfer the pizza onto a parchment lined cutting board. Slice pizza into 4-6 pieces with a knife or pizza cutter and serve.

NEAPOLITAN MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Set a pizza stone on the lower rack of the oven, remove the other racks, and preheat to 500 degrees F.
• Using a food mill, grind the tomatoes into a bowl (or pulse in a food processor until coarsely pureed.) Season with sea salt and set aside.
• Very lightly dust a work surface with some flour. Fill a medium bowl with flour and spread it out into a wide even layer. Drop the dough onto the flour in the bowl, and flip it over once in the bowl to lightly coat it. On the work surface, using your fingertips, press the dough all over to flatten it. Flip it over and press all over the surface again. Flip it one more time and repeat. Press the dough with your fingers repeatedly on one side with one hand, and with the other hand, slowly turn the dough clockwise on the work surface. Continue poking and rotating the dough to flatten and stretch the dough.
• Pick the dough up and toss it back and forth between the palms of your hands until it begins to stretch, forms a rough disc, and gets thinner. Drape the dough over your hands, tuck your fingers in, and gently pull your knuckles toward the outer edge of the dough. Continue, rotating the dough as you go, until it is about 10 inches in diameter. Work slowly, allowing the weight of the dough itself to stretch and do not force it or it will tear and can make the crust too chewy.
• Dust the work surface with a little more flour and set the crust back down. Press it with your fingers and pull it gently at the edges to even out the circle. Using a small ladle, evenly spread about 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Scatter the mozzarella pieces from the center out, leaving space between the cheese. Tear the basil leaves in half and scatter the pieces over the pizza.
• Lightly flour a pizza peel and set it on the work surface at the edge of the pizza crust closest to you. Run your fingers around the outside parameter of the crust to loosen any edges that might be stuck (and make sure the dough is not stuck to the counter anywhere in the center). Gently grab the dough at the 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock positions and in one, quick motion, pull the pizza onto the peel. Use your fingers to pull and straighten the crust until round.
• Open the oven door. Set the front of the peel on the back edge of the pizza stone. Shake the peel very lightly to make sure the dough is not stuck and will slide. Holding the peel at a 45-degree angle, jiggle it until the pizza begins to slide off; once it reaches the edge of the peel, shake it lightly a few times, and then pull the peel out in one swift motion to drop the pizza onto the hot stone. Immediately close the oven door and cook until the crust begins to char on the bottom and edges and cheese is melted and bubbly, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Use the peel to remove the pizza; slide it onto a cutting board. Slice with a pizza wheel and serve immediately.
• Put the yeast in a measuring cup and dissolve it in about 1/2 cup of the water. In a large bowl, dissolve the salt in the remaining water.
• Add about 1/2 cup of the flour to the salt-water solution and add the yeast mixture. Use your fingers to mix well. Add the remaining flour and mix with your hands until it forms a dough. Transfer the dough to a floured countertop.
• To knead the dough, grab the sides with your fingers and pull it up and over itself into the center. Using the balls of your hands, press the dough firmly in the center. Repeat, pulling the dough from the outer sides inward, Press it fast from the edge inwards. Working quickly will help prevent it from sticking. Continue kneading the dough until it is very smooth to the touch, and springs back when pressed, 15 to 20 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a clean bowl, and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let the dough rise for 2 hours, and then divide into four 9-ounce portions. Form the portions into balls. Cover the dough with a towel and let rise at room temperature for 6 hours.

NEAPOLITAN PIZZA RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large bowl (or cuisinart) add the flour, yeast, and water. Mix by hand for 10 minutes (for cuisinart mix on level 3 for 5 minutes).
• While mixing add the salt and olive oil.
• Continue to mix for other 15 minutes until the pizza dough starts to become smooth (for cuisinart mix on level 3 for 7 minutes).
• Place in a container and cover with plastic wrap.
• Leave at room temperature for 3 hours.
• Cut the pizza dough into four 250g pieces. Form each piece into a ball.
• Place in a flat container with approximately 2″ between each piece (or you can place each dough in its own bowl). Cover with plastic wrap again and let continue to rise at room temperature for 2 hours.
• Put the pizza dough in the fridge for 24h.
• Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator 3 hours before planned use.
• While waiting, open the can of San Marzano tomatoes, pour into a medium bowl, and smash the tomatoes with your hands creating a 'crushed' texture.
• Add the basil and salt and stir. Set aside for at least 1 hour.
• If cooking in a gas/electric oven preheat to max temperature (usually 550F). For an outdoor oven the ideal temperature is 800F (430C). This is also when you'd preheat a pizza stone.
• Chop the mozzarella into approx. 1/4″ thin x 3/4″ chunks.
• Begin to form the pizza dough into a circle approximately 12″-14″ wide and place on metal pizza pan.
• Add 3-4 tbsp tomato sauce.
• Place in the oven.
• When the pizza is almost cooked (getting brown on the sides/bottom) add 1/4 of the mozzarella. Once the mozzarella has completely melted remove from oven.
• Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, cut, and serve!