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Easy Homemade Pizza Margherita

Course Dinner
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 1 medium sized pizza

Ingredients

*Dough:*

  • ¼ cup warm water about 60g + more if needed; aim for around 110F (add ~1 tbsp more, if necessary)
  • 1 tsp active dry or instant yeast
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tbsp olive oil

*Toppings:*

  • ½ cup pizza sauce try making your own with canned San Marzano tomatoes
  • Fresh mozzarella to your liking approximately 4oz
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3-4 fresh basil leaves

Instructions

*Dough:*

  • In a bowl, mix warm water, yeast, flour, sugar, salt, and olive oil to create a sticky dough. Add 1-2 tablespoons more water if needed.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until it's no longer sticky.
  • Place the dough in a clean bowl sprayed with oil. Cover with cling wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for ~30-45 minutes until it doubles in size.
  • Towards the end of proofing, preheat the oven to 450F (without a fan) with a pizza stone on the middle rack.

*Assembly:*

  • Once proofed, roll the dough into a thin, 9-10" circular sheet on a floured surface.
  • Transfer the crust to a sheet of parchment paper and shape it. Prick it with a fork a few times.
  • Spread pizza sauce, cover with torn mozzarella chunks, and drizzle with olive oil.

*Baking:*

  • Carefully lift the parchment paper with the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone in the oven.
  • Bake for ~8-12 minutes (I usually go for 10 minutes at 450F) until the crust reaches your desired crispiness.
  • Remove the pizza, garnish with fresh basil, slice, and serve hot.

Notes

  • Ensure the parchment paper can withstand up to 450F, or use a pizza pan for safety.
  • You can make this pizza without a pizza stone.
  • This recipe yields a medium-sized pizza; easily double it for two pizzas.
  • Baking time may vary based on your oven temperature and desired pizza doneness.