Neapolitan Pizza Margherita
A 72-hour cold-fermented dough blistered in a screaming-hot oven, topped with San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil. Naples in your kitchen.
🛒 Ingredients
- 500g Tipo 00 flour
- 325ml cold water
- 10g fine sea salt
- 3g instant dried yeast
- 400g tin whole San Marzano tomatoes
- 400g fresh mozzarella (fior di latte), torn
- handful fresh basil leaves
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt to season tomatoes
👨🍳 Method
- 1
Mix flour, water, salt, and yeast into a rough dough. Rest 30 minutes.
- 2
Knead 10 minutes until smooth. Ball up, refrigerate for 48-72 hours.
- 3
Remove dough 4 hours before baking. Divide into 4 balls.
- 4
Crush San Marzano tomatoes by hand. Season with salt and olive oil.
- 5
Place a baking steel or stone on top oven rack. Preheat to max (250°C+) for 1 hour.
- 6
Stretch each dough ball to 30cm by hand — never use a rolling pin.
- 7
Top with tomato sauce (not too much), mozzarella pieces, and a drizzle of olive oil.
- 8
Bake 6-8 minutes until leopard-spotted crust forms.
- 9
Top with fresh basil immediately after removing from oven.
💡 Chef's Tips
- →The 72-hour cold ferment is not optional — it builds flavor and structure.
- →Preheat the baking stone for a full hour before baking.
- →Less is more with toppings — over-loaded pizza steams instead of crisps.
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