Pizza Margherita is much more than just tomato, mozzarella, and basil. It’s a piece of Italian culture, a symbol of simplicity – and it tastes simply wow when done right! 😍
🤔 I used to not like Margherita at all…
Honestly? I never ordered Margherita back then. To me, it was just “the most boring pizza on the menu” – no salami, no ham, nothing crispy on top 😅
But that was probably because I had never eaten it in really good quality. In many pizzerias (at least back then), Margherita was treated rather stepmotherly – the dough too thick or too dry, the tomato sauce too bland, the cheese too greasy.
It wasn’t until I started making pizza myself and got intensively involved with the Neapolitan way of baking that the penny dropped. Today, Margherita is one of my absolute favorite pizzas – and I say that without irony! ❤️
🇮🇹 Fancy a bit of history?
Legend has it that Pizza Margherita was baked for Queen Margherita of Italy in 1889 – with the colors of the Italian flag:
🟥 Tomatoes – 🟩 Basil – ⬜ Mozzarella
It’s so special that, along with Pizza Marinara and Pizza Fritta, it belongs to the classically defined types in the official rules of the AVPN.
The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana specifies exactly how these pizzas must look – from the dough and ingredients to the baking time. Anyone who wants to use the Verace Pizza Napoletana seal must adhere to these rules. 🎯
🛒 The Ingredients for Your Margherita
For an original Neapolitan Margherita, you’ll need:
For the Dough (makes 3 pizzas):
👉 Here’s the basic recipe for Neapolitan pizza dough or if you’re in a hurry, the 8-hour dough
(72h matured or 8h – depending on how much time you have!)
For the Topping (per pizza):
- 80–100 g hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes, preferably from La Carmela 🍅
👉 How to prepare the perfect tomato sauce for pizza - 80–100 g Fior di Latte (alternatively: Mozzarella – well drained!)
- Fresh basil leaves 🌿
- 1 tbsp good olive oil
Optional: a little freshly grated Parmesan on the tomato sauce before baking 😉
✋ Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Spreading the Dough
Take your dough ball out of the box and spread it with your hands – do not roll it out!
This keeps the air in the crust and gives you that fluffy cornicione 😍
2. Spreading the Tomato Sauce
Mix the crushed tomatoes with a little salt and spread them on the pizza in a spiral motion with a spoon. Not too much – less is more here!
3. Adding the Mozzarella
Tear or cut the Fior di Latte into pieces and distribute evenly over the sauce. Not too close to the edge.
4. Baking in the Pizza Oven
Into the hot pizza oven (450–500 °C) for approx. 90 seconds to 2 minutes.
👉 If you don’t have a pizza oven, you can also use a household oven – then just bake for longer, at maximum temperature with a pizza stone or baking steel.
5. After Baking: Finish!
Now add the basil – fresh, not baked.
Then drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil – ideally from a squeeze bottle for perfect dosing.
Your Margherita is ready! 🍕
💡 Tips & Variations
- Tomatoes: La Carmela San Marzano – hand-crushed, not pureed.
- Fior di Latte vs. Mozzarella: Fior di Latte is cow’s milk mozzarella with less moisture – perfect for pizza!
- Basil: The aroma is better preserved after baking. Some people add it during baking – that’s a matter of taste.
- Oven Setup: Get tips on proper baking in a pizza oven
🔗 Matching Accessories
You can find everything you need for your perfect Margherita at PizzaLaden.at:
🧡 Conclusion
The Margherita is the perfect entry into the pizza universe – and shows that you can create a true explosion of flavor with just a few good ingredients. Once you’ve made it yourself, you won’t want to touch frozen pizza again 😄
And honestly: I really missed out back then.
Pizza Margherita – Original neapolitanisch
Ingredients
- 270 g Pizzateig
- 90 g zerdrückte San-Marzano-Tomaten z. B. La Carmela
- 90 g Fior di Latte alternativ: gut abgetropfter Mozzarella
- Frische Basilikumblätter
- 1 EL Olivenöl
- 1 TL frisch geriebener Parmesan Optional
Instructions
- Teigling aus der Box holen und mit den Händen ausbreiten, nicht ausrollen.
- Die Tomaten mit etwas Salz verrühren und spiralförmig auf dem Teig verteilen.
- Fior di Latte zupfen und gleichmäßig auflegen.
- Im vorgeheizten Pizzaofen bei 450–500 °C für ca. 90 Sekunden backen.
- Alternativ: Haushaltsbackrohr mit Pizzastein bei 250 °C für 6–8 Minuten.
- Nach dem Backen Basilikum daraufgeben und mit Olivenöl beträufeln.
Notes
Für authentischen Geschmack unbedingt San-Marzano-Tomaten und Fior di Latte verwenden.
Der Teig wird mit den Händen ausgebreitet – so bleibt die Luft im Rand. Zubehör findest du auf PizzaLaden.at
