PIZZA MARGHERITA (PIZZA WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND MOZZARELLA)
Two 12-inch pizzas
This classic pizza has a medium-thick crust topped with tomato sauce, cheese, and basil.
Prepare:
- Pizza Dough, or two 1-pound packages store-bought refrigerated pizza dough
Preheat and prepare the oven and form two 12-inch rounds of dough as directed. Spread in an even layer over both pizzas, leaving a ½-inch border all around:
- ½ cup Marinara Sauce or Pizza Sauce
Sprinkle with:
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella (6 ounces)
- ½ cup coarsely chopped basil or whole basil leaves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Bake one pizza at a time. If baking the pizzas on baking sheets, bake them on the bottom rack. If using a baking stone or steel, place the pizza on a floured baker’s peel or cookie sheet. Gently shake the peel or cookie sheet back and forth until the dough slides a bit. If the dough is sticking, lift it up gently and throw a little more flour underneath it. Quickly slide the pizza off the peel onto the baking stone or steel (this move takes practice—consider working on your technique a good excuse to make pizza more often). Bake until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 12 minutes. If using a baking steel, after the pizza has cooked for 5 minutes, you may turn on the broiler and broil the pizza until browned and bubbling. Turn the temperature back to 500°F before baking the next pizza.
Topping a pizza is a matter of taste. In Russia, pizza may be topped with red herring or mackba (a mixture of sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna, and onions). Indians top pizza with ginger, minced mutton, and paneer. In Japan, squid and “mayo jaga” (mayonnaise, potato, and bacon) are popular. The “Double Dutch” is a favorite in the Netherlands: double cheese, double onions, and double beef. The important thing to remember is that in order to prevent a soggy pizza, some toppings must be precooked to release their excess fat or liquid. Listed below are a few of our favorite topping combinations. The amounts given will make two pizzas. For sauce, cheese, and basil amounts, use Pizza Margherita as a guide.
Toppings | Sauce | Cheese |
6 ounces pepperoni, thinly sliced | Tomato | Mozzarella |
12 ounces hot or mild Italian sausage, crumbled, browned, and drained on paper towels; 1 small yellow or red onion, very thinly sliced; (sliced pickled peppers) | Tomato | Mozzarella |
12 ounces fresh chorizo, crumbled, browned, and drained on paper towels; coarsely chopped green onion; 1 ½ cups Pan-Fried Potatoes | None | Mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese |
4 ounces very thinly sliced pancetta; fresh basil leaves | Tomato | Mozzarella |
4 ounces very thinly sliced prosciutto or Canadian bacon; 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks | Tomato | Mozzarella |
4 ounces very thinly sliced prosciutto; 1 cup drained marinated artichoke hearts, quartered; ½ cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and sliced | Tomato | Mozzarella |
1 medium zucchini or 5 trimmed asparagus spears, shaved into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler; ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced; 16 sage leaves tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil | ½ cup Pesto | ½ cup crumbled feta cheese; 1 cup mozzarella |
1 cup Caramelized Onions; ½ cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted; 4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary | None, or Béchamel II, flavored with 1 garlic clove, minced | None |
60 shucked or drained canned littleneck clams; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons olive oil. After baking, top with 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. | None | 1 cup Pecorino Romano |
6 ounces picked crabmeat; black pepper | None | 2 ounces Taleggio, cut into small chunks; 1 cup mozzarella |
2 portobello mushrooms or 10 to 15 button mushrooms, thinly sliced and sautéed; 1 red onion, thinly sliced and sautéed with 3 minced garlic cloves; ½ teaspoon dried thyme | None | 1 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese (chèvre) |
1 cup Melted Leeks; 8 ounces maitake mushrooms, broken into small “florets” and tossed with 2 tablespoons olive oil | None | 2 ounces Taleggio, cut into small chunks; 1 cup mozzarella |
1 small Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apple, cored and thinly sliced; black pepper. After baking, drizzle lightly with honey and top with 2 cups arugula. | None | 3 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled; 1 cup mozzarella |