Neapolitan Pizza Margherita
A soft, blistered, slightly chewy crust with crushed tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil. The home-oven version of the Neapolitan classic: very hot oven, very little on top.
Ingredients
For the dough
For the topping
Preparation
25 min, plus 2 hours provingMix the dough
Stir the yeast and salt into the water, then add the flour and mix until no dry flour remains. Rest for 10 minutes.
5 min, plus 10 min restingKnead
Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic.
10 minProve
Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave somewhere warm until doubled in size. For a better flavour, chill overnight and bring back to room temperature before shaping.
2 hours provingHeat the oven
Put a baking steel, stone or upturned heavy tray on the top shelf and heat the oven to its highest setting, ideally 250 degrees Celsius or more, for at least 30 minutes.
30 min, during the last of the provingShape the dough balls
Divide the risen dough into 2 equal balls, tuck the edges underneath and rest on a floured tray, covered, for 20 minutes.
5 min, plus 20 min restingPrepare the toppings
Crush the tomatoes by hand with a pinch of salt, tear the mozzarella and pat it dry so the pizza does not turn watery.
5 min
Cooking instructions
15 minStretch the base
On a floured surface press the ball from the centre outwards, leaving a thicker rim, and stretch by hand to about 25 cm. Avoid a rolling pin: it knocks out the air.
About 2 min eachTop lightly
Spoon over a thin layer of tomato, scatter the mozzarella and add a drizzle of olive oil. Less is more: heavy toppings make a soggy centre.
About 1 min eachBake
Slide the pizza onto the hot steel with a floured peel or tray. Bake until the crust is puffed with charred spots and the cheese is bubbling.
6 to 8 min eachFinish and serve
Top with torn basil and a final drizzle of olive oil and serve at once.
1 min each
Vishal's tips
A true Neapolitan pizza bakes in about 90 seconds in a wood-fired oven at around 450 degrees Celsius; a home oven cannot match that, so the hottest setting and a preheated steel matter more than anything else. Add basil after baking so it stays green. Time is per pizza, so a bigger batch needs more oven time.
