Pizza
Homemade Margherita Pizza
A crisp, blistered crust, bright tomato sauce, melting mozzarella and fresh basil — pizzeria-style pizza from a home oven.
By the Forkful editorial team · Published
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Makes
- 2 pizzas
Pizza is one of the most searched recipes on Google year after year, and the margherita is where every pizza lover should start. With only dough, tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, there is nowhere for a bad ingredient to hide — and nothing complicated to get wrong.
The secret to a great homemade pizza is not a fancy oven; it is heat. Preheat your oven as hot as it goes, with a pizza stone, steel or upside-down baking sheet inside, and your crust will puff and char in under 10 minutes. The dough needs an hour to rise, or you can make it a day ahead for even more flavour.
Ingredients
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- For the dough
- 3 ½ cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups warm water (about 105°F / 40°C)
- 2 ¼ tsp instant or active dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 ½ tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- For the topping
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- ½ tsp salt
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, torn and patted dry
- Fresh basil leaves and extra-virgin olive oil, to finish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the warm water, yeast and sugar. Leave for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add the flour, salt and olive oil and mix into a shaggy dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, until smooth, elastic and only slightly tacky.
- Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and let it rise in a warm place for 1–2 hours, until doubled. (Or refrigerate it for up to 3 days for a more flavourful crust.)
- Put a pizza stone, steel or upside-down baking sheet on the top rack and heat the oven to its highest setting, 500–550°F (260–290°C), for at least 45 minutes.
- Mix the crushed tomatoes with the salt. Divide the dough in half and stretch each piece into a 12-inch (30 cm) round on floured parchment, pressing from the centre outwards and leaving a thicker rim. Avoid a rolling pin — it pushes out the air.
- Spread half of the sauce over each base, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border, then scatter over half of the mozzarella.
- Slide the pizza, on its parchment, onto the hot stone and bake for 8–12 minutes, until the crust is puffed and spotted brown and the cheese is bubbling. Finish with basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Repeat with the second pizza.
Tips for the best result
- 1Pat the mozzarella dry with paper towels; wet cheese is the main cause of a soggy pizza.
- 2Less is more: a thin layer of sauce and cheese lets the crust cook through and stay crisp.
- 3For the best flavour, let the dough rest in the fridge for 24–72 hours and bring it to room temperature for an hour before stretching.
- 4No pizza stone? A heavy baking sheet turned upside down and preheated just as long works surprisingly well.
Storage
Raw dough keeps in an oiled, covered bowl in the fridge for up to 3 days, or frozen for 3 months. Leftover pizza keeps in the fridge for 3 days; reheat it in a dry frying pan over medium heat to re-crisp the base.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
Yes. Bread flour gives a chewier crust, but all-purpose flour makes a very good, slightly softer pizza.
Why is my homemade pizza soggy in the middle?
The oven or stone was not hot enough, there was too much sauce, or the mozzarella was wet. Preheat longer and keep the toppings light.
Can I make pizza dough ahead of time?
Yes — it actually tastes better. Refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze it in portions for up to 3 months.
