margherita

What you need to make this recipe...:

...a sourdough starter. Ideally, you want to use your starter 4 to 6 hours after you feed it, when it has doubled in volume and is very bubbly and active. Here are three sources:

Breadtopia
King Arthur Flour
Cultures for Health


...time. Once your starter is ready to go, this recipe requires an initial 6 - 18 hour rise, followed by at least 6 hours in the fridge or up to 3 days. 

Timing/Schedule:
The more I make sourdough, the more I realize that the timing of each bake depends so much on the time of year and the temperature of my kitchen. In the summer, because it is warm and humid, the first rise (bulk fermentation) of all my sourdoughs takes between 6 - 8 hours; in the winter the first rise takes 12 - 18 hours.
It is best to rely on visual cues. For the bulk fermentation, you want the dough to double (or less than double: I now end my bulk fermentation when the dough has risen by 50% in volume). This is why I cannot recommend using a straight-sided vessel  (as opposed to a bowl) enough. It makes gauging the first rise easier.
If at any point you are worried the dough will over-ferment — say, for example, the bulk fermentation is nearly complete but you are tired and want to go to bed — stick the vessel in the fridge and pick up the process in the morning. (Note: If your dough rises above double, don't despair ... my dough has tripled in volume during an overnight rise, and the resulting dough still had plenty of oven strength and spring.)
Schedule: I like mixing this dough in the evening, performing 4 stretch and folds before I go to bed (if time permits), then letting the dough complete its bulk fermentation at room temperature (68ºF) overnight or in the refrigerator (especially in the summer, when my kitchen is much warmer). In the morning, it's typically ready to be portioned (if it rose at room temperature), transferred to quart containers, and stashed in the fridge. If I had let my dough spend time in the fridge for the bulk fermentation, I remove it in the morning, and let it complete its bulk fermentation at room temperature. Once complete, I portion the dough and stash it in the fridge. Sometimes I'll use the dough that same evening; sometimes I'll use it the following day or the next. I encourage using the dough within 3 days. 
In short: If you want pizza for the weekend, mix your dough on either Wednesday or Thursday. 
Troubleshooting: If you have issues with your dough being too sticky, please read this post: Why is my sourdough so sticky? The 4 common mistakes.
Flour choice: 

Due to supply issues, I've been making this recipe with all-purpose flour, and it works beautifully. You absolutely can use bread flour or tipo 00 flour if you can get your hands on either. If you can't, know that all-purpose (unbleached) flour works great here. If you use 00 flour, you'll likely need to reduce the amount of water. I would start with 350 g, and adjust moving forward based on your results. 

Favorite Pizza-Making Tools:

Baking Steel
Pizza Peel
Parchment Paper: I bake my pizzas on parchment paper on my Baking Steel. Parchment allows for easy transfer from peel to steel. 
Cast Iron Skillet: If you do not have a Steel or stone, you can use a cast iron skillet. Rub a half teaspoon of oil over its surface, transfer a stretched dough round to the skillet. Top as desired. Bake at 450ºF for about 15 minutes. 
Quart Containers for storing dough


Simple Sourdough Pizza Crust

water

g sourdough starter, active and bubbly, see notes above

salt

g flour

tomato sauce

mozzarella

Parmigiano Reggiano (less than an ounce)

olive oil

sea salt

baby or Tuscan kale

1 to 2 cloves garlic

Sea salt,

crème fraîche

Parmigiano Reggiano,

scallions

red pepper flakes

Parmigiano Reggiano

Mix the dough

Place the starter, salt, and water in a large bowl. Stir with a spatula to combine — it doesn&#8217;t have to be uniformly mixed. Add the flour. Mix again until the flour is completely incorporated. Transfer to a straight-sided vessel (if you have one.) Cover vessel with tea towel or cloth bowl cover and let stand 30 minutes.

Stretch and fold

after 30 minutes have passed, reach into the vessel and pull the dough up and into the center. Turn the vessel quarter turns and continue this pulling 8 to 10 times. See video for guidance. Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes; then repeat the stretching and folding. If possible, repeat this cycle twice more for a total of 4 stretch and folds. By the 4th cycle, you will notice a huge difference in the texture of the dough: it will be smoother, stronger, and more elastic.

Bulk fermentation

Cover vessel with a tea towel or bowl cover and set aside to rise at room temperature (70ºF/21ºC) for 4 to 18 hours (the time will vary depending on the time of year, the strength of your starter, and the temperature of your kitchen; see notes above) or until the dough has roughly doubled in volume. (UPDATE: In the past I have recommended letting the dough rise until it doubles in volume. If you&#8217;ve had success with this, continue to let the dough double. Recently, I have been stopping the bulk fermentation when the dough increases by 50% in volume, and I feel my dough is even stronger in the end.) Note: Do not use your oven with the light on for the bulk fermentation — it is too warm for the dough. When determining when the bulk fermentation is done, it is best to rely on visual cues (doubling in volume) as opposed to time. A straight-sided vessel makes monitoring the bulk fermentation especially easy because it allows you to see when your dough has truly doubled.

Portion and shape

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and shape into a rough ball, using as much flour as needed — the dough will be sticky. Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Sprinkle portions with flour. With floured hands, roll each portion into a ball, using the pinkie-edges of your hands to pinch the dough underneath each ball. Transfer each round of dough to a plastic quart container, cover, and store in fridge for at least 6 hours or up to 3 days or transfer to the freezer for up to 3 months (see notes in post about thawing). 

Make the pizzas

Pull out a round (or more) of dough from the fridge one hour before you plan on baking. Dust dough with flour and place on a floured work surface. Let sit untouched for about an hour (a little longer or shorter is fine). Place a Baking Steel or pizza stone in the top third of your oven. Set oven to 550ºF. Heat oven for at least 45 minutes but ideally 1 hour prior to baking. 

Shape the dough

Gently shape dough into a 10-inch (roughly) round handling it as minimally as possible. (See video for guidance.) Lay a sheet of parchment paper on top of a pizza peel. Transfer the dough round to the parchment-lined peel.

To make a classic Margherita-style pizza

 Spread 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce over the surface of the dough. Top with mozzarella to taste. Sprinkle with parmesan to taste. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Shimmy the pizza, parchment paper and all into the oven. Bake pizza until top is blistered, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer to cutting board. Sprinkle with basil, if you have it. Cut and serve. Discard parchment paper.

To make a kale and crème fraîche pizza

Place the kale in a small bowl, drizzle with olive oil, season with sea salt, and toss. Spoon crème fraîche over the dough leaving a 1/2-inch border or so—I use about a tablespoon per pizza. Sprinkle with minced garlic and a handful of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Top with the kale. Shimmy the pizza, parchment paper and all into the oven. Bake pizza until top is blistered, about 5 &#8211; 6 minutes. Transfer to cutting board. Cut and serve. Discard parchment paper.

To make a naked pizza with scallion oil

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a skillet with 1/4 cup of minced scallions (or ramps!) and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Keep it over low heat while you make the pizza. Spoon crème fraîche over the dough leaving a 1/2-inch border or so—I use about a tablespoon per pizza. Sprinkle with a handful of grated parmesan. Shimmy the pizza, parchment paper and all into the oven. Bake pizza until top is blistered, about 5 &#8211; 6 minutes. Transfer to cutting board. At this point, the scallions should be starting to &#8220;frizzle&#8221;. If they aren&#8217;t, crank up the heat until the oil is sizzling. Spoon a few tablespoons of the hot oil over the pizza (you&#8217;ll have extra oil). Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Cut and serve. 

Top and Bake

Love this sourdough pizza recipe. It's critical to have a well floured surface during shaping to avoid dough sticking to table.

This is my favorite pizza dough recipe! I've only used active starter so far, and I agree with some of the previous comment threads that the sweet spot is around 2 days of cold fermentation. There's a really wonderful depth of flavor that doesn't come through for me with less than a full day in the fridge, although the crust is still great. And when I've gone 3 full days, I've lost a bit of the light and airy texture and had fewer and smaller bubbles. I'm excited to try this with unfed discard now that I see others have had success!

I made calzones with this recipe and they were outta this world! Fantastic crust. I am so impressed. Thank you!! 

How do you prevent it from getting gummy under the toppings? I have found I have to bake the dough separately for 5 minutes then add toppings and bake for the remainder otherwise it doesn’t cook under the topping. Even if I am not adding much sauce or any wet ingredients... Any advice? 

I used the dough tonight to make a sausage, black olive and mushroom pizza. The dough was very easy to work with and made a beautiful pizza. Truly a five star recipe. Thanks for sharing. 

If I'm going for more of New York style pizza (foldable vs soft) can I simply add a little bit more flour and some olive oil?

What if it is left for four days in the fridge? Is it better to freeze at 2 or 3 days and then just thaw on the fourth? 

Delicious! From my learnings I'd recommend trusting the recipe. Use the exact amount of water - it seems wet but it absorbs over time. The first time I added extra flour - the pizza is lighter without it. And at 250 deg Celsius (hottest my oven goes) in a preheated cast iron frying pan - perfect. Just go light on the toppings so it doesn't get soggy. Thanks so much for sharing this great recipe! The first time it seemed like a lot of work, but once you do it once, it's pretty easy. You just have to remember to start the process the day before. I like that the dough keeps for a couple of days. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OipoWq9VZCI

This video shows how to make a simple sourdough pizza as well as a pizza Margherita. As far as sourdough recipes go, this is as simple as it gets: there's no autolyse, no preferment, no levain. It yields 4 rounds of dough which you can refrigerate and use over the course of 3 days. I'm using all-purpose flour here due to supply constraints, but this will absolutely work with bread flour or tipo 00 flour.

Simple Sourdough Pizza + Pizza Margherita 🍕🍕🍕

Easy, healthy grilled chicken margherita topped with melted mozzarella cheese, pesto, and tomato basil garnish.

Grilled Chicken Margherita

boneless skinless chicken breasts, (pounded to less than 1 inch thickness)

salt and pepper

garlic powder

mozzarella cheese

basil pesto

cherry tomatoes, (halved)

lemon juice

basil leaves, (very thinly sliced)

black pepper

In a large bowl combine chicken, salt and pepper, olive oil, garlic power, and Italian seasoning. Toss to combine.

Grill chicken over medium-high heat for about 6-8 minutes on each side until cooked through. Top each piece of chicken with a slice of mozzarella cheese and cook another minute or so until melted.

Toss tomatoes, lemon juice, and basil together. Top each chicken breast with about 3 tablespoons pesto, a scoop of tomatoes, and some freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.

Forget takeaways – you can’t beat a homemade Margherita pizza topped with fresh tomato sauce and melted cheese. Here's how to master this everyday classic...

Next level Margherita pizza

‘00’ flour

sachet (7 grams) fast-action dried yeast

can plum tomatoes (San Marzano are the best)

tbsp extra virgin olive oil

oregano

basil

First, make the dough. Tip the flour into a bowl and add 300ml tepid water. Mix together and set aside at room temperature for 1 hr. Dissolve the yeast in 2 tbsp water and mix this and 15g of salt through the dough. Cover with cling film and leave somewhere warm to double in size for a few hours. For a sourer flavour, leave in the fridge for at least 8 hrs and up to 24 hrs – the longer you leave it the sourer it will be.

When the dough is ready, tip it onto a lightly floured surface and divide into four. Roll into balls and leave to rest, covered with a tea towel or cling film for another hour.

Now make the tomato sauce. Drain some of the juice from the can and tip the rest into a bowl with the olive oil, oregano and a generous pinch of salt, then either scrunch everything together with your fingers for a chunky sauce or blitz with a stick blender if you want it smooth. Tie the basil stalks together, bruise with the back of a knife and place in the sauce. Leave the sauce at room temperature until needed.

To make the pizza, heat a grill to its highest setting and get a heavy frying pan. On a floured surface push and stretch one of the balls of dough out into a circle roughly the same size as the frying pan. Slip the round onto a floured baking sheet and top with a quarter of the sauce, a scattering of cheese, a few basil leaves and a quarter of the mozzarella.

Get the pan very hot and carefully slide the pizza onto it. Cook for 2 mins, then put the pan under the grill for another 2 mins until the sides are puffed up and the cheese has melted. Lift onto a board, drizzle with a little olive oil if you like, then cut into wedges and serve while you make the next one.

You only need one pot, 9 simple ingredients and 25 minutes of hands-on prep to make the BEST Margherita Chicken Pasta! This recipe has all the flavors of a classic margarita pizza, just in cheesy tomato pasta form! Featuring tender chicken, silky noodles, ripe tomatoes and fresh basil in an ultra-creamy pasta sauce, this dish is easy to make and even easier to devour!Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.

Chicken Margherita Pasta (One Pot Recipe!)

Pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (- sliced into ¾’’ pieces (SEE NOTES))

TBS Unsalted Butter (DIVIDED)

TBS Olive Oil

Yellow Onion (- chopped)

Roma Tomatoes (- seeded, small dice & divided in ½)

Garlic (- minced (SEE NOTES))

tsp Dried Italian Seasoning ((SEE NOTES))

¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (- plus more for garnishing)

TBS All Purpose Flour

Cups Chicken Broth

½ Cups Half-and-Half

¾ Cup Parmesan Cheese (- freshly grated)

Salt & Black Pepper (- to taste)

¼ Cup Fresh Basil (- thinly sliced)

Cup Ricotta Cheese

Cook chicken:  Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large straight sided skillet, or Dutch oven, over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and season generously with salt and pepper.  Cook until golden brown, but not cooked through, about 4-6 minutes total.  Remove chicken to a plate.

Cook onions:  Reduce heat to medium low and add in the oil and remaining butter.  Once melted, increase heat to medium and add in the onions and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes, then aromatics: Add in half of the tomatoes and continue to cook for 1 minute.  Add in the garlic, Italian seasonings and crushed red pepper flakes.  Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add flour: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Cook, stirring, for another 1-2 minutes.

Add the liquids:  Add in the chicken broth and half-and-half, whisking constantly to combine.  Bring to a simmer.

Add browned chicken + pasta. Add the chicken, along with the pasta, to the pan. Bring to a slow boil, stirring occasionally, then immediately reduce to a simmer.

Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is just al dente - Uncover the pan and stir once or twice during cooking to prevent the pasta from sticking together.

Reduce heat to low and stir in the parmesan cheese until melted.  Stir in the remaining tomatoes.  Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

To serve:  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the fresh basil and dollop with the ricotta.  Stir to combine.  Garnish with more basil, parmesan and red pepper flakes if desired.  Serve and Enjoy!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/OrzouBNy.mp4

This easy Chicken Margherita Pasta has all the same delicious Italian flavors as a classic pizza - just in cheesy pasta form! Featuring tender chicken, ripe tomatoes, fresh garlic, complex parmesan cheese and plenty of aromatic Italian seasonings, this margarita chicken pasta is so easy to prepare and even easier to devour! You only need one pot, 9 simple ingredients and 25 minutes of hands on prep to make the best chicken tomato pasta right at home!

Chicken Margherita Pasta

Even a novice cook can master the art of pizza with our simple step-by-step guide. Bellissimo!

Pizza Margherita in 4 easy steps

strong bread flour

yeast

tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

milliliters passata

garlic clove, crushed

ball mozzarella, sliced

cherry tomatoes, halved

basil leaves (optional)

Make the base: Put the flour into a large bowl, then stir in the yeast and salt. Make a well, pour in 200ml warm water and the olive oil and bring together with a wooden spoon until you have a soft, fairly wet dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth. Cover with a tea towel and set aside. You can leave the dough to rise if you like, but it’s not essential for a thin crust.

Make the sauce: Mix the passata, basil and crushed garlic together, then season to taste. Leave to stand at room temperature while you get on with shaping the base.

Roll out the dough: if you’ve let the dough rise, give it a quick knead, then split into two balls. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into large rounds, about 25cm across, using a rolling pin. The dough needs to be very thin as it will rise in the oven. Lift the rounds onto two floured baking sheets.

Top and bake: heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 8. Put another baking sheet or an upturned baking tray in the oven on the top shelf. Smooth sauce over bases with the back of a spoon. Scatter with cheese and tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season. Put one pizza, still on its baking sheet, on top of the preheated sheet or tray. Bake for 8-10 mins until crisp. Serve with a little more olive oil, and basil leaves if using. Repeat step for remaining pizza.

Vegans needn't miss out on pizza Margherita. Our recipe combines the classic flavours of this Italian comfort food using plant-based substitutes

Vegan pizza Margherita

strong white bread

tsp caster sugar

½ tbsp olive oil,

tbsp fresh basil, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried oregano)

vegan mozzarella-style cheese, grated

tomatoes, thinly sliced

basil oil

Put the flour, yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Measure 150ml of cold water and 150ml boiling water into a jug and mix them together – this will mean your water is a good temperature for the yeast. Add the oil and 1 tsp salt to the warm water then pour it over the flour. Stir well with a spoon then start to knead the mixture together in the bowl until it forms a soft and slightly sticky dough. If it’s too dry add a splash of cold water.

Dust a little flour on the work surface and knead the dough for 10 mins. Put it back in the mixing bowl and cover with cling film greased with a few drops of olive oil. Leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size.

Heat oven to 220C/200C/gas 9 and put a baking sheet or pizza stone on the top shelf to heat up. Once the dough has risen, knock it back by punching it a couple of times with your fist then kneading it again on a floured surface. It should be springy and a lot less sticky. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.

Put all the ingredients for the tomato sauce together in a bowl, season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar if you like and mix well. Set aside until needed.

Divide the dough into 2 or 4 pieces (depending on whether you want to make large or small pizzas), shape into balls and flatten each piece out as thin as you can get it with a rolling pin or using your hands. Make sure the dough is well dusted with flour to stop it sticking. Dust another baking sheet with flour then put a pizza base on top – spread 4-5 tbsp of the tomato sauce on top and add some sliced tomatoes and grated vegan cheese. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake in the oven on top of your preheated baking tray for 10-12 mins or until the base is puffed up and the vegan cheese has melted and is bubbling and golden in patches.

Repeat with the rest of the dough and topping. Serve the pizzas with fresh basil leaves or chilli oil if you like and sprinkle over vegan parmesan just after baking.

Margherita Baked Polenta Recipe: An Easy Polenta Recipe layered with marinara sauce, fresh basil, and mozzarella cheese, all on a comforting Pesto Polenta base!

Margherita Baked Polenta Recipe

polenta ((course yellow grits))

vegetable broth, (or water)

smoked gouda, (shredded)

marinara sauce ((jarred

basil leaves

mozzarella balls ((16 oz total))

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Set out a 9X13 inch baking dish and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Then set a large 5-6 quart saucepot on the stovetop over medium-heat heat.

Pour the vegetable broth (or water) in the saucepot. Once boiling, whisk in the polenta and salt. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the polenta doesn&#39;t stick to the bottom of the pot.

Once the polenta is very thick and the grains feel soft, turn off the heat. Stir in the pesto and smoked gouda. Then pour the polenta into the baking dish before it starts to firm. Smooth the polenta in an even layer.

Bake the polenta for 25 minutes, uncovered. Meanwhile, slice the mozzarella balls into 12 rounds. *After 25 minutes, if the polenta doesn&#39;t seem set in the middle, bake an additional 10 minutes before you proceed. It needs to be firm before the marinara goes over the top.

Pour the marinara over the top of the baked polenta and smooth into an even layer. Arrange 12 large fresh basil leaves over the marinara, 3 across and 4 down. Then cover the basil leaves with 12 mozzarella slices. Sprinkle ground black pepper over the top, if desired.

Bake again, for 10-15, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese has melted. Let the polenta rest for 5 minutes, before cutting and serving.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/Ed7o0FDh.mp4

Margherita Baked Polenta

A garlicky tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and some good quality store bought pizza dough makes the ultimate easy homemade margherita pizza.

Store Bought Pizza Dough With Homemade Garlicky Tomato Sauce

pizza dough

tomato paste

garlic

tsp kosher salt

tsp black pepper

sesame seeds

Make sure dough has been warming at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 450 degrees and place rack in the middle of oven.

Chop garlic cloves.&nbsp; Saute garlic in 2 Tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat for 2-3 minutes to get nice and brown.&nbsp; Do not burn garlic but try to get brown.

Add all the tomato paste to the pan with garlic and cook for 30 seconds.&nbsp; Add the water, salt, and pepper and stir around.&nbsp; Watch for splattering when the water hits the oil and tomato paste.

Cover sauce with lid and turn heat to medium-low.&nbsp; Let sauce cook for 5-10 minutes.

Roll out dough to 1/4" thickness.   Use flour on hands, cutting board, and rolling pin to avoid sticking.  I like to roll it then hold and rotate it in my fingers letting gravity stretch it out.  Return it back to the cutting board and roll out to the proper thickness and form crust.

Place dough on parchment paper-lined baking sheet coated with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Parchment paper is not required, a regular sheet pan will work just as well, though it might require a little more oil to avoid sticking.

Remove lid and stir sauce to incorporate the paste completely.&nbsp; Taste and if needed adjust salt or pepper.&nbsp; If the sauce is too thin cook it for 5 minutes uncovered to thicken.

Coat the pizza dough with sauce.&nbsp; Do not overdo the sauce.&nbsp; Use about 3/4 cup +/- depending on the size of pizza that was rolled out.&nbsp; Add the sesame seeds to crust if desired.

Place 5-6 pieces of fresh mozzarella on the pizza.&nbsp; Try to separate them for a nicer look.&nbsp; Add a few pieces of basil.&nbsp; Drizzle 1 Tbsp of olive oil onto pizza.

Top 8 margherita recipes from across the web

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Top 8 margherita recipes from across the web

The most viewed margherita recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Simple Sourdough Pizza Crust

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Next level Margherita pizza

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Pizza Margherita in 4 easy steps

Vegan pizza Margherita

Margherita Baked Polenta Recipe

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The most viewed margherita recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine