pizza margherita

In 1889 Queen Margherita was on holiday in Naples and called for chef Raffaele Esposito to make 3 types of pizza - this was her favorite and thus Pizza Margherita got it's name! I know that cooking with yeast seems overwhelming, but it's really not hard. It just takes time - but keep in mind that since you only let pizza dough rise once, the actual rising time is only 1 hour. This recipe can also be used for foccacia which you will see on another posting in the near future, since it's one of our favorites! The key is the kneading. You should really knead the dough for 10 minutes, which takes a little bit of hand muscle, but will produce a very fine crust! You can top the pizza with anything you like, but the traditional pizza margherita is topped with tomatoes, basil and mozerella cheese. I added crumbled sweet italian sausage last night - and it was really tasty. Make sure your oven is very hot and preheated before you bake the pizza or your crust will be soggy.

origin - I have tried 4 different pizza/foccacia dough recipes and Tyler Florence has the best!
difficulty - medium to hard because of the time and getting a feeling for the dough takes practice.

1 package active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water (100 - 110 degrees) *if it's too hot you will kill the yeast
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cups all purpose flour *a lot of recipes call for bread flour, but all purpose works great

sliced fresh mozzarella cheese torn in pieces
sliced tomatoes *I either seed them or squeeze out the excess moisture with paper towels
crumbled sweet italian sausage, cooked
handful of fresh torn basil leaves
grated parmesean cheese


In a mixing bowl combine the yeast, sugar and water and stir gently to dissolve. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes until the yeast begins to foam. If it does not foam - the yeast is not active, start over. This is where a lot of people make a mistake, make sure it is foaming. Stir in the salt and olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing until all the flour is incorporated. I usually stop once I've added 2 1/2 cups of flour and then slowly add more as I knead it. When the mixture becomes too stiff to mix, knead by hand adding just enough flour so that the dough is soft but not sticky. As you work, squeeze a small amount of dough together between your thumb and fingers - if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour. Knead until smooth and elastic - about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a round and lightly oil it with olive oil and put in a clean bowl that is also lightly oiled. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size - approximately 1 hour. If you don't have a warm spot - turn your oven on to 350 and let it sit on top or near the oven. Turn the dough out onto an oiled cookie sheet and pat down or roll out to any shape. I like to brush the dough with olive oil and a little salt at this point. Cover with your preferred toppings and bake in a 450 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes or until the crust is browned and the cheese is melted.