Margherita Pizza

Method

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1. Whisk the flour and yeast in a large bowl. Add the water and mix with your hand until no dry flour remains, then rest the shaggy dough for 20 minutes so the flour fully hydrates.

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2. Add the salt and knead in the bowl for 5 minutes, folding the dough over itself until it turns smooth and elastic. Cover and leave at room temperature for 2 hours.

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3. Divide into four 200 g balls, tucking the edges underneath to build surface tension. Space them in a lidded container and refrigerate for 24 to 72 hours — flavour and blistering improve every day.

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4. Take the dough out 2 hours before baking. Meanwhile, slide a baking steel or heavy stone onto the upper-middle shelf and heat the oven to its maximum, at least 250°C / 480°F, for a full hour.

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5. Crush the tomatoes by hand with the salt, leaving them rough. Do not blend — a smooth sauce turns watery on the crust.

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6. Stretch one ball on a well-floured surface, pressing from the centre outward and leaving a 2 cm rim untouched. Let gravity do the last of the stretching over your knuckles.

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7. Slide onto a floured peel. Spread 3 tablespoons of sauce, scatter a quarter of the mozzarella and Parmigiano, and drizzle with olive oil.

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8. Launch onto the steel and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until the rim is puffed and spotted and the cheese is bubbling. Switch to the grill for the final 60 seconds if the top needs colour.

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9. Finish with fresh basil and a thread of olive oil, then slice and eat immediately while the base is still crisp.

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Chef’s Tips

• Drain torn mozzarella on kitchen paper for 20 minutes; the water it sheds is the single biggest cause of a soggy centre.
• No baking steel? An upturned heavy baking sheet preheated for an hour is a close second.
• Weigh your water. Pizza dough lives or dies on hydration percentage, and cups are hopelessly imprecise.

Pairing Suggestions

• A chilled Aglianico or a light Chianti cuts the mozzarella richness
• Start with a simple rocket salad dressed in lemon and olive oil
• Finish with affogato for a five-minute dessert

Storage & Reheating

Dough balls keep in the fridge for 3 days or freeze for 3 months — defrost overnight in the fridge. Cooked slices refrigerate for 3 days; reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes with a lid on, which re-crisps the base while melting the cheese. Never microwave.

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.