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Pizza Margherita – Recipe
Pizza Margherita is a legend. Here you will find the recipe for the pizza oven and an adaptation for the domestic oven. Both versions come from Naples, from a world pizza champion. You can learn how to bake your best margherita in the accompanying video tutorials.
- 4 prepared dough balls , 280 g each
- 320 g Pizza sauce, from San Marzano tomatoes
- 500 g Buffalo mozzarella, cut
- 40 g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 15-20 Basil leaves
- 20 ml Olive oil, extra virgin
- Semola, to work the dough
- Pizza peel, or pizza board
- Pizza cutter, or knife
Schritt für Schritt durch´s Rezept
- Step 1Preheat the pizza oven to the appropriate temperature
- Step 2Spread 80 g of the pizza sauce over each pizza base, making sure it is evenly distributed. The base should be completely covered with tomatoes, right up to the edges.
- Step 3Spread 3-4 torn basil leaves on the pizza. (Tip: If they are soaked in cold water before use, the leaves will not burn so quickly and will retain their aroma for longer).
- Step 4Spread 6-7 slices of the buffalo mozzarella. The mozzarella must not be too moist, otherwise the brine will run onto the pizza during baking.
- Step 5Pull the topped pizza onto the pizza peel and place in the oven.
- Step 6To achieve even browning, the pizza should be turned at regular intervals. Depending on the choice of oven, the pizza is ready after 3-6 minutes and can be removed from the oven.
- Step 7Finish the pizza with a little basil and olive oil and serve.
Pizza Margherita – what’s on it?
The traditional ingredients for a margherita are:
- Pizza dough made from type 00 flour, water, salt, yeast
- San Marzano DOP tomatoes
- Mozzarella di Bufala or Fior di Latte
- fresh basil
- extra virgin olive oil
Why is there Parmesan on the margherita?
On classic Neapolitan pizza, a small amount of hard cheese – such as Parmesan or Pecorino – is often sprinkled over the tomato sauce before the pizza goes into the oven. This intensifies the taste of the tomatoes and adds an extra umami note.
According to the rules of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), a Neapolitan association that sets the standard for genuine Neapolitan pizza, hard cheeses such as Parmesan are expressly permitted, but not a must. The Associazione recommends using these cheeses very discreetly and only to round off the overall flavor.
Origin and history of Margherita
The Margherita pizza is attributed to Raffaele Esposito, a pizzaiolo from Naples. He prepared it in 1889 for Queen Margherita of Savoy, who was visiting Naples with her husband, King Umberto I.
The royal court commissioned Esposito to create a pizza representing the Italian national flag for the visit. Esposito chose tomatoes for the red color, mozzarella for the white color and basil for the green color.
The queen was so enthusiastic about this simple but tasty creation that Esposito named it Margherita in her honor.
Pizza Margherita is one of the most famous dishes in the world today. It has brought Italian culture and tradition to the global table. But the Margherita is also still closely associated with the city of Naples, where it originated. It is an integral part of everyday life for Neapolitans and an important aspect of local identity.
- 4 prepared dough balls, 280 g each
- 400 g Pizza sauce, from San Marzano tomatoes
- 320 g Mozzarella Fior di latte, cut
- 40 g Parmesan cheese , finely grated
- 15 g Basil leaves
- 20 ml Olive oil , extra virgin
- some semola, to process the dough
- Pizza stone
- Pizza peel, or pizza board
- Pizza cutter, or knife
Schritt für Schritt durch´s Rezept
- Step 1Preheat the oven with pizza stone to 250 °C.
- Step 2Spread out a prepared pizza ball directly on the pizza peel.
- Step 3Spread about 100 g of the sugo over the pizza base, making sure it is evenly distributed. The base should be completely covered with tomatoes, right up to the edges.
- Step 4Spread 3-4 torn basil leaves on the pizza. (Tip: If they are soaked in cold water before use, the leaves will not burn so quickly and will retain their aroma for longer).
- Step 5Now spread 80 g of sliced mozzarella fior di latte and 10 g of grated Parmesan or Pecorino on the pizza.
- Step 6Finish the topped margherita with a drizzle of olive oil and place in the oven.
- Step 7After 5-6 minutes, the pizza is ready and can be taken out of the oven.
- Step 8Then refine the margherita with a little basil and a final drizzle of olive oil and serve as quickly as possible.
FAQ about Pizza Margherita
The pizza dough is the basis for every Margherita pizza and should be airy and elastic. Traditionally, it is made from a few high-quality ingredients: Type 00 flour, water, salt and yeast. The dough must be left to rest for 24 hours so that it develops an optimal structure. It is important to process it gently so that the air is retained in the dough. This also produces the characteristic fluffy edge – called cornicione.
Buffalo mozzarella and fior di latte differ in taste, consistency and behavior on the Margherita pizza. Buffalo mozzarella, made from high-fat buffalo milk, has a more intense flavor, is creamier and releases more liquid, which can make the base softer. Fior di Latte, made from cow’s milk, is milder, sweeter and releases less moisture, which keeps the base crispier.
San Marzano tomatoes are indispensable for Margherita pizza, as they offer a sweet, intense aroma, firm flesh and little water, which keeps the sauce creamy and prevents the base from becoming soggy. They grow on volcanic soils around Naples and Mount Vesuvius and are a symbol of local tradition and authenticity.
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