I love making pizza. As a true Roman, every time I’ve lived outside my beloved city, I’ve missed “pizza al taglio”. In Rome, there are a million truly excellent shops. Outside, much less so.
So, I’ve been making it myself for years. The results were initially disappointing. The secret is never the recipe, but the technique: understanding when the dough is well-kneaded, when to add water, when to finish it, how to manipulate it. But above all, the tricks for cooking it in your home oven (which will never give the same results as a professional oven… never, not even if you’re a pro). So, don’t despair, just try, try, try.
Enjoy your pizza!

Pizza Margherita

  • Preparation time: long preparation
  • For a 30x40cm baking pan
  • Difficulty: Difficult recipe

  • Ingredients
  • 360 grams of bread flour
  • 250 grams of cold water
  • 5 grams of fresh brewer’s yeast
  • 10 grams of salt
  • 10 grams of extra virgin olive oil
  • For the topping:
  • 150 grams of tomato puree
  • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 250 grams of pizza mozzarella
  • Salt, pepper, and basil to taste
  • Re-milled wheat semolina to taste
  1. Instructions
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the flour, yeast, and 70% of the cold water. Mix briefly and let autolyze for at least thirty minutes. Then knead at medium-high speed for about ten minutes.
  3. When the dough is well-kneaded, add the remaining water, a little at a time, continuing to knead until all the water is absorbed. The dough should be smooth and silky and requires about fifteen minutes in the stand mixer.
  4. Finally, add the salt and oil and mix for a few minutes.
  5. Round the dough and place it in a bowl covered. Let it rise for about thirty minutes and then let it rest for about twelve to eighteen hours in the refrigerator.
  6. Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator at least four to six hours before baking.
  7. Let the dough return to room temperature; this takes about an hour in summer and at least two hours in winter.
  8. Give the dough a few folds and let it rise in a warm place around 26°-28°C (79°-82°F) until doubled in size.
  9. Sprinkle the semolina your table and place the dough on top. Spread it with your fingertips, trying not to break the bubbles. Place it on the baking sheet. Season with tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and oil.
  10. Bake in a preheated oven at 250°C (480°F) fan-assisted for the first eight to ten minutes on the lowest rack.
  11. Remove from the oven, top with the mozzarella, and bake for another three to four minutes on the middle rack.
  12. Remove from the oven and top with plenty of basil.

Tips to ensure the success of the dish:

  • If the outside temperature is warm, place both the bowl and the water in the refrigerator. If the dough isn’t finished yet and is above 24°C, you can leave it in the refrigerator, well covered, for a few minutes before continuing to work it in the mixer.
  • Don’t roll out the dough with a rolling pin, but with your hands, starting from the edges, which should be lightly sealed, without breaking the rising bubbles. Spread it out on a well-floured surface.
  •  The baking sheet must be very thin Teflon so that the heat can pass through well.
  • Add the basil at the end because it turns black in the oven.