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Margherita Pizza

Servings 2 pizzas
Author Sarah Averett

Ingredients

  • For the pizza dough:
  • 1-1/2 cup hot water as hot as you can run it from the tap, but NOT BOILING or you will kill the yeast
  • 1-1/2 tsp. dry active yeast
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. salt
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 3 cups bread flour or all-purpose can be substituted
  • non-stick cooking spray
  • olive oil
  • For the toppings:
  • olive oil
  • 4 cloves sliced garlic
  • 4 roma tomatoes
  • 2 cups grated mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • 6 fresh basil leaves

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let sit for five minutes until yeast blooms.
  2. Add the olive oil, sugar, and salt to the yeast and stir.
  3. In a separate, medium bowl, measure out flour and add yeast mixture to it - stir until well combined. (The dough may appear very gooey, but this is completely normal. Don't add flour because it makes for a much more tender dough.)
  4. Spray a separate bowl with cooking spray and place dough in it - cover and set aside in a warm location for one hour. (Warm location suggestions: above the refrigerator, above the cabinets, or on the stove as it preheats.)
  5. After dough is done rising, preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
  6. Roll out half of the dough onto a flat surface to about 3/4 inch thick. (Use some extra flour if necessary, to keep from sticking)
  7. Place rolled out dough onto a pizza stone or pizza pan.
  8. With a pastry brush, spread a thin layer of olive oil over pizza.
  9. Thinly slice two garlic cloves and spread evenly over pizza.
  10. THINLY slice 2 tomatoes (the thinner they are, the less soggy your pizza will be) and spread evenly over pizza.
  11. In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and spread HALF of it over pizza.
  12. Slice basil into thin strips and spread evenly over pizza.
  13. Finish it off with the rest of the cheese mixture.
  14. Cook in oven on the lowest rack for 11-13 minutes. (Make sure to keep a close eye on it during the last couple minutes so the cheese doesn't burn.)
  15. Repeat for other half of dough.