Margherita Pizza

Let's cook

1. 1

   Ferment slowly

   Mix the flour, water, salt, and yeast into a rough dough, knead 5 minutes, then refrigerate 24–72 hours. The long cold ferment is where all the flavour comes from.

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   A same-day dough will taste flat. Twenty-four hours minimum, and 48 is better.

2. 2

   Divide and ball

   Divide into four balls, cover, and let them come to room temperature for 2 hours before shaping.

3. 3

   Get the oven as hot as possible

   Preheat a pizza steel or stone at maximum temperature for a full hour. Domestic ovens rarely exceed 550°F, and every degree helps.

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   One hour of preheating. The stone needs to be saturated with heat, not just hot.

4. 4

   Crush, do not cook, the sauce

   Crush the tinned tomatoes by hand with a pinch of salt. Neapolitan pizza sauce is raw — cooking it first makes it taste jammy.

5. 5

   Shape by hand

   Press each ball out from the centre with your fingertips, leaving a thick rim. Never use a rolling pin, which crushes out all the gas.

6. 6

   Top lightly and bake fast

   Spread a thin layer of sauce, scatter the drained mozzarella, and slide onto the stone. Bake 6–8 minutes until the crust is blistered and the cheese bubbling. Add basil and oil on the way out.

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   Overloading is the most common home mistake. Less topping bakes better.

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