Pizza Margherita

Readers: This post was revised on October 23, 2010.  Read more at Lessons Learned  Making Pizza

What do you like on your pizza?  Do you go for the classics – pepperoni, sausage or mushrooms, etc.?  Do you tend toward the less popular toppings like artichokes, spinach, or eggs? Or perhaps you crave the truly exotic – dates, duck or smoked trout.

As far as I’m concerned, you can have all the toppings in the world.  Just give me a properly made margherita pizza, and I’m a happy camper.  It’s hard to improve on the simplistic perfection of the margherita.  Now, for those of you who have never had a true margherita pizza – and I’ll bet most of you haven’t, let me explain what it is NOT.  A true margherita is not made with sliced hothouse tomatoes. Nor does it use marinara sauce. It is not piled high with shredded mozzarella, and the margherita never uses oregano.  As for toppings, there is only one choice: Cherry tomatoes.

If you were with me right now, I would take you a few blocks from my house to 2 Amys and let you experience, first hand, a properly made (and one of the best in the city) margherita pizza.  What do I mean by “properly made”?  Well, believe it or not, the Italians created a standard for the margherita known as pizze margerhita D.O.C. The D.O.C. stands for denominazione di origine controllata or “controlled origin denomination”.  It is the same D.O.C. used to assure the quality of Italian wines.

According to 2 Amys’ website, in order for a margherita to meet the D.O.C. standard “only soft-grain flour, fresh yeast, water, and sea salt may be used for the dough, and only Italian plum tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala, extra-virgin olive oil and fresh basil… may be used for the toppings.” Last, but not least, “[It] must be cooked in a wood-burning oven.”  These are pretty high standards, but you can taste them in every bite.

I don’t know about you, but my city home did not come equipped with a wood-burning oven. (Though I have a really nice trash compactor, and you don’t see those every day.) So I guess any homemade version of the margherita is out of the running to be a D.O.C.  That’s a shame, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make a damn close replica.  In fact, I have created my own set of standards I like to call D.O.H. – Dave’s Own Homemade. Here is a list of the ingredients you will need to make pizze margherita D.O.H. :

• Good dough
• Italian plum tomatoes
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh mozzarella cheese
• Fresh basil
• Salt

Good Dough

This is the part where I lose a lot of you, but before you go running out of the room with your hair on fire and your skirts over your heads (and that’s just the men), hear me out.  Making pizza dough isn’t really that hard, but it does take a little time.  So if you’re too busy to activate the yeast in warm water, knead the dough, proof it and then try to coerce into something that roughly resembles a circle, there’s good news.  Most grocery stores carry fresh dough that is actually quite good. Just check in the deli or prepared foods section.

And here’s another option.  The next time you stop in at your local pizzeria to pick up a pie, check to see if they sell you fresh dough. A pound of pizza dough will yield two medium or  four personal sized pizzas.  Simply wrap the dough in plastic, place it in a zip lock plastic freezer bag, and freeze for up to six months.  Just remember to move it to the fridge the night before so it can thoroughly thaw.

Italian Plum Tomatoes

Yes, they really are better.  I recommend San Marzano tomatoes, and unless you’re reading this in old Napoli or you grow your own, canned tomatoes really are the best option.  They should already be whole, peeled and have little to no added salt. Avoid brands that include added puree or sauce, as these are cooked products and tend to take away from the fresh tomato taste.  Look for brands that only contain tomatoes and, perhaps, some tomato juice.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Don’t under estimate how important olive oil is to the sauce.  It needn’t be your best stuff – you can save that and drizzle a little on top after the pizza’s out of the oven, but it should be a good quality olive oil.

Fresh Mozzarella

It doesn’t have to be made from buffalo milk like the D.O.C. requires, but it does have to be fresh.  Don’t use the harder type that comes shrink wrapped.  It won’t melt or taste the same.

Fresh Basil

Never use dried. If fresh is not available, than make a different kind of pizza.  There is simply no pizze margherita without fresh basil.

Salt

I use a sea salt, but kosher will work well too.

Here is a list of essential tools you will need ensure good quality pizza.

Clean, Well-Functioning Oven

Yours doesn’t have to be a wood burning oven, but it does need to be a clean one. You’re going to be cranking that baby up to 500˚ and leaving it there for over an hour. If it isn’t clean, you’re likely to smoke everyone out of the house.  This is particularly a problem if you live in an apartment. Your neighbors will hate you enough when they smell the great pizza baking in your oven.  There’s no sense in really ticking them off with a little asphyxiation.  I mention well functioning, because for years I put up with an oven that took hours to heat, barely held it’s temperature and often reeked of gas. The oven is the most important tool in the kitchen. You can’t make anything, much less pizza, if it isn’t dependable.

Pizza Stone

After the oven, the pizza stone is the most important tool used to  making great pizzas. I can’t stop singing the praises of mine.  In fact, my pizza making didn’t take off until I got a pizza stone. You can find them at most kitchen stores for about $40.  If that seems like a lot, keep in mind that that’s equivalent of about 3 large delivery pizzas.  So they don’t take long to pay for themselves.  Just look for the largest one your oven can hold and make sure it is at least a half-inch thick. Avoid anything with a glazed surface.

If possible, place your pizza stone on the floor of your oven.  This is usually possible with a gas stove.  Just don’t block any vents.  If you cannot place it on the bottom, set it on the lowest rack possible.  You can leave your pizza stone in the oven at all times.  It won’t interfere when you’re cooking other things. In fact, it helps the oven disperse heat more evenly and hold it longer. Just be mindful of things that drip onto it.  Clean it with a wire brush. You can rinse it in some warm water, but never use soap or detergents.

Pizza Peel

A peel is basically a giant spatula the helps you get the pizza on and off the stone.  They are fairly inexpensive and definitely invaluable.  You don’t want to try moving a pizza with cardboard or a cooking sheet.  Peels are usually made from wood or metal. Each material has its advantages. When it comes to removing the pizza from the oven, or just moving about, the metal ones work best.

You’re all set.  Cue-up Dean Martin singing That’s Amore, and let’s get things started.

Margherita Pizza

This recipe will make either two medium or four personal-size pies, but the instructions are for four pies. You will find that smaller pies are easier to get on and off the pizza peel and cook faster.  If you prefer to make two medium pies, adjust accordingly.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh pizza dough (recipe follows or use store bought)
• 1 -14 ounce can of whole, peeled Italian tomatoes, preferably San Marzano with no salt added
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, separated
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic, grated with a rasp or micro planer (optional)
• Kosher or sea salt
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 16-20 thin inch slices
• 16-20 fresh basil leaves
• Flour for dusting

Preparations:

If using refrigerated dough, allow it to set at room temperature for 1-2 hours.  Meanwhile, place a pizza stone on the floor of the oven or on the lowest possible shelf.  Remove any remaining shelves and preheat to its highest temperature.  For most ovens, this will be 500˚F, but some ovens will go as high as 550˚F. Heat the overn for at least 30-45 minutes to ensure that your pizza stone gets good and hot.

To prepare the sauce, combine the tomatoes with a tablespoon of olive oil and the garlic, if used, in the bowl of a small food processor or blender. (See notes below.) Pulse several times until the tomatoes are broken into small bits and the oil emulsified.  Pour the tomato mixture into a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.  This will help mellow the garlic flavor.  Cover and set aside.

On a floured surface, knead the dough for several minutes.  Kneading helps to make the dough more elastice and prevents tearing. It will also help you form a thin crust. Divide the dough into four equal quarters and set three quarters aside.  For each pie, shape the dough into a half spherical shape and dust with flour. Using a well-floured rolling pin, roll the dough out from the center in a rotating fashion. Check often to make certain the dough doesn’t stick to the surface.  If it does, free it and use more flour. If the dough stops giving and becomes too elastic, let it rest for 1-2 minutes.  This allows the dough to “relax” and become more supple.

Continue rolling the dough until you have a circle 7-9 inches in diameter and about ¼ inch thick. Flour the peel thoroughly. Dust the top of the pie dough and brush off any excess. Flip the pie over and place the floured side onto the peel. While grasping the handle, gently shake the peel in small circular motions.  The dough should move around freely.  If it doesn’t, dust the peel with more flour.   As you add the toppings, continue to check to see if the pie still moves freely.

Pour ¼ cup of the sauce, onto the center of the pie. . Use about ¼ cup per personal sized pizzas.  Evenly spread the sauce across the top of the pie right up to the edges.  You do not want pools of sauce, just a nice, even, thin coat.  Add more if needed. Avoid getting the sauce on the peel, as this will cause the pie to stick.

Scatter a 4 or 5 basil leaves evenly across the pie, pressing them into the sauce. This will prevent them from burning and drying out.  Evenly arrange 4 or 5 slices of the mozzarella across the top.

Open the oven door all the way and slide the pizza off the peel and onto the hot stone use a rapid forward-back motion.  If the pizza doesn’t move off the peel, and the peel is metal, let it rest on the stone for a moment or two and try again. When the heat of the stone transfers through the metal, the dough will release from the peel provided it was well dusted.

Cooking times will vary based on oven temperature and and the thickness of the crust.  In a 500˚F oven, a thin crust pie will cook in  as little as 3-5 minutes. A thicker pizza crust will need about 5-7 minutes. For best results, begin checking thinner pies at about the three-minute mark, and then check every two minutes. For thicker pies begin checking at the five minute mark and then every 2-3 minutes. Use the peel to gently lift the edge of the pizza and check the underside for doneness.  A well cooked crust will be just on the verge of burning and actual turn black in spots..

While the first pie is cooking, shape the dough for the second pie. When the first pie is done, place it on a cooling rack for about five minutes.  Top the second pizza and place it in the oven for another 5 minutes, checking again for doneness around three minutes. Repeat for the remaining two pies.

To cut, move the pizza on a clean even surface.  Drizzle a small amount of olive oil across the top and slice into 4 pieces using a pizza cutter.

Notes:  Garlic is not used in a true pizze margherita, but a small amount can add some extra flavor to the sauce.  Try it both ways and see which you prefer. You might wonder why I bother to puree whole tomatoes instead of buying pureed or even diced tomatoes.  First, the consistency of pureed tomatoes various from brand to brand.  Some are too thick and others are too watery.  It’s better to make your own. Second, diced tomatoes often include extra calcium chloride, which has a tendency to make the tomatoes too firm for our purposes.

Basic Pizza Dough

I adapted the recipe from Cindy Mushet’s The Art & Soul of Baking. It yields 24 ounces of dough. Depending on how thick you like your pizza, this should be more than enough for two 10-12 inch pizzas or 4 personal size pizzas.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup warm water, between 110˚ – 115˚ F
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for brushing
• 16¼ ounces (about 3¼ cups) all-purpose flour, plus some for dusting
• 1½ teaspoons salt

Instructions:

Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the yeast and whisk until the yeast is broken up and distributed.  Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes in order for the yeast to activate. Add the water and 3 tablespoons of olive oil and blend well with a whisk. Add flour and salt and need on low speed for about 2 minutes, or until the dough pulls away from the bowl and forms a mass on the hook. Without removing the bowl from the mixer, drap it with a towel or some plastic wrap and let it to set for 20 minutes. Turn the mixer back on to medium-low and allow it to knead for another 3-5 minutes.  The dough should smooth and firm.

Lightly oil a medium sized bowl with the remaining olive oil.  Remove the dough from the hook and place it in the oiled bowl.  Rotate it once or twice in order to coat it in the oil. Tightly cover with a piece of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about an hour.  It should double in size.  Divide the dough in half. Use for pizza immediately or wrap in plastic and store in the refrigerator overnight.  Can also be frozen for up to a month.  Simply store in a heavy duty freezer bag.

Tagged as: basil, D.O.C., dough, fresh mozzarella, mozzarella di bufala, pizza, pizza peel, pizza stone, pizze margherita, San Marzano tomatoes, Two Amys, wood vs. metal peel