This delicious pizza uses a 2-hour pizza dough. If you have more time and a sourdough starter, you can do the sourdough pizza dough instead. They are both delicious, and both recipes are included below.
Pizza Dough (2 hour)
Ingredients:
4 1/8 cups flour – type “00” works best
1 package yeast
1 1/4 tsp sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 1/2 TBS lard or butter
Directions:
Mix warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes. Mix salt and flour in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture, then add the lard or butter.
Mix and knead the dough.
Let rise for 2 hours.
Divide into desired size and shape for pizza.
Sourdough Pizza Dough
This one is an all-day rise.
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 cup sourdough starter
10 grams or 1 3/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour – type 00 works best
Directions:
Mix all ingredients.
- Cover for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold.
- Repeat steps 1 and 2 four times
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 hours.
- Stretch and fold.
- Divide into baseball-sized balls.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Remove from fridge and let come to room temp before use.
Margherita Pizza
Ingredients:
Pizza dough (one of the above recipes)
Tomato sauce; mix tomato passata with fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil.
Mozzarella cheese; I prefer fresh mozzarella—either di bufala or the cow’s-milk version, fior de latte—because it’s what was used on the original Pizza Margherita in Naples, Italy. Don’t use pre-shredded, or you will be disappointed.
Fresh Basil
Extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Once your dough is shaped and ready, heat the oven to 500 F. Place the rack in the upper third of the oven.
Spread the tomato sauce, cheese, and basil over the uncooked pizza dough.
Cook in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is partially melted and golden.
Drizzle olive oil and enjoy!
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