Italian Recipes With Fresh Mozzarella: Margherita Pizza

This Neapolitan-style Margherita pizza pairs a chewy homemade crust with tomato, fresh mozzarella, and basil, baked hot until the edges blister and the cheese just melts. Fresh mozzarella brings a soft, milky finish; draining it well helps keep the center from turning watery.

Ingredients

3 cups (390 g) all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for shaping
1 cup (240 ml) warm water, about 100°F (38°C)
1 teaspoon (3 g) instant yeast
1½ teaspoons (9 g) fine salt
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little for the bowl
¾ cup (180 g) canned crushed tomatoes, preferably plain
1 teaspoon (5 ml) extra-virgin olive oil for the sauce
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt for the sauce, or to taste
8 ounces (225 g) fresh mozzarella, preferably packed in water
12 fresh basil leaves (about 5 g)
1 tablespoon (10 g) semolina or cornmeal, for dusting the peel or baking sheet
2 teaspoons (10 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing

Instructions

Mix the dough. Put the warm water in a large bowl and stir in the yeast. Add the flour, salt, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix with a sturdy spoon until a shaggy dough forms and no dry patches of flour remain. If the dough feels very stiff, add water 1 teaspoon at a time; if it is sticky enough to coat your hands heavily, dust in a little flour rather than adding a large amount at once.
Knead and let rise. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, pressing and folding until it feels smooth and elastic. Shape it into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and leave at room temperature for 75 minutes, or until visibly puffy and roughly doubled. A cool room may require more time; use the dough’s appearance rather than the clock alone.
Prepare the toppings while the dough rises. Stir the crushed tomatoes with 1 teaspoon olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Keep the sauce uncooked; its bright tomato flavor suits this simple topping. Drain the mozzarella, pat it dry with paper towels, and tear or cut it into small pieces. Spread the pieces on a clean towel for a few minutes so excess surface moisture can drain. Tear the basil leaves, but keep them aside for after baking so their aroma stays fresh.
Heat the oven and shape the pizzas. About 45 minutes before baking, place a pizza steel or stone on a rack in the upper-middle part of the oven and heat to 500°F (260°C), or to the highest setting your oven safely allows. If using a baking sheet, preheat the oven and use the sheet upside down as a flat surface; it does not need a long preheat. Divide the risen dough into two equal pieces. On a lightly floured counter, press and stretch each piece into a 10-inch (25 cm) round, leaving a slightly thicker rim. Avoid rolling it thin with a pin, which can press out the air and make the crust less open.
Top each pizza lightly. Dust a pizza peel or an inverted baking sheet with semolina or cornmeal. Transfer one dough round to it and give the peel a small shake to check that the dough moves freely. Spoon on half the tomato mixture, spreading it in a thin layer and leaving the rim bare. Add half the mozzarella, spacing the pieces apart so they can melt without flooding the middle. Repeat with the second dough round only when you are ready to bake it; leaving topped dough on the peel too long can make it stick.
Bake in two batches. Slide the first pizza onto the hot steel or stone. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, until the rim is puffed and browned in spots and the cheese is melted with a few golden patches. Oven performance varies, so begin checking at 7 minutes. If using a baking sheet, bake on the preheated upside-down sheet and expect the crust to take a little longer. Transfer the pizza to a board, then bake the second one the same way. Let each pizza sit for 2 minutes before slicing so the cheese settles slightly.
Finish and serve. Scatter the basil over the hot pizzas and drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Taste a small edge and add a pinch of salt only if needed; mozzarella and salted tomato sauce already contribute seasoning. Slice into wedges and serve while the crust is crisp and the cheese is warm.

Tips

Drain the cheese, but do not dry it out completely. Fresh mozzarella contains more moisture than low-moisture mozzarella. Patting it dry and cutting it into small pieces is usually enough. If the ball is especially wet, drain it in a sieve in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before topping the pizzas.
Keep the toppings restrained. A generous layer of sauce or cheese can weigh down a thin pizza and leave a damp center. Use a thin coating of tomato and leave visible spaces between mozzarella pieces; they spread as they melt.
Adapt the flour if needed. Bread flour can replace all-purpose flour in the same quantity for a chewier crust. It absorbs a little more water, so add a teaspoon or two of water if the dough seems dry. For a gluten-free version, use a tested pizza dough blend and follow its hydration and baking directions; a straight flour-for-flour swap will not behave the same way.
Use a hot, well-preheated surface. A steel or stone helps the base set quickly, but a preheated upside-down sheet pan is a practical alternative. Use oven mitts and keep the peel or sheet steady when transferring dough; semolina makes it easier for the pizza to slide.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the pizza hot as the main course, with one 10-inch pizza per person for a filling meal or one shared between two people alongside sides. A green salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar gives a crisp contrast to the tender cheese and chewy crust. Roasted peppers, grilled zucchini, or a bowl of marinated olives also make good Italian-inspired accompaniments without competing with the basil and tomato.

For a casual meal, set out extra basil, olive oil, and a small dish of crushed red pepper so everyone can finish a slice to taste. If serving several people, bake the pizzas one after another and bring each to the table as it comes out; fresh mozzarella pizza is at its best soon after baking. The dough is deliberately divided into two rounds so the toppings stay light and each pizza can be handled easily.

Variations

Add vegetables: Thinly sliced mushrooms, well-drained roasted red peppers, or a few rings of red onion can go beneath or between the mozzarella pieces. Cook watery vegetables such as mushrooms first, then cool and drain them before using. This prevents their released liquid from making the center soggy.

Make it more savory: Add a few oil-packed anchovy pieces or a small handful of pitted olives before baking. Both are salty, so reduce or omit the salt in the tomato sauce. A light scattering of grated Parmesan after baking adds a sharper, saltier note, while keeping the fresh mozzarella as the main cheese.

Try a white pizza: Omit the crushed tomato and brush each base lightly with olive oil. Add mozzarella and a little thinly sliced garlic, then bake as directed and finish with basil. The result is milder and richer than the tomato version, so serve it with a peppery salad or a squeeze of lemon at the table.

Use prepared dough: About 1 pound (450 g) of store-bought pizza dough can replace the homemade dough. Let refrigerated dough stand covered at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, until relaxed enough to stretch. This shortcut changes the hands-on preparation, but the fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil topping remains the same.

Storage and Reheating

Freshly baked pizza is best eaten right away, while the base is crisp and the basil is fragrant. Refrigerate leftover slices within 2 hours of baking, placing them in a covered container or wrapping them well. They keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The crust will soften as it sits because the cheese and sauce release moisture, but reheating can restore some crispness.

For the best texture, warm slices in a skillet over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, loosely covered, until the base crisps and the cheese is hot. Alternatively, heat them on a baking sheet in a 375°F (190°C) oven for about 8 to 10 minutes. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer if you need to verify the temperature. Add fresh basil after reheating rather than before. You can freeze baked slices for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe package, though fresh mozzarella may become a little grainier after thawing; reheat from frozen in the oven until hot throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh mozzarella packed in water?
Yes. Drain it well, pat it dry, and tear or cut it into small pieces. Balls packed in water tend to release more liquid than firmer fresh mozzarella, so allow extra draining time if the surface still looks wet. Avoid using a large, thick layer of cheese, which can leave the pizza watery even when the mozzarella is drained.

Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. After kneading, put the dough in a lightly oiled covered container and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. The slow rise develops flavor, but cold dough needs time to relax: bring it out about 60 to 90 minutes before shaping. If it resists stretching, cover it and let it rest another 10 minutes rather than forcing it.

Why did the dough shrink while I was shaping it?
The gluten may be tight because the dough has not rested long enough or the room is cool. Cover the round and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes, then continue stretching gently from the center outward. Do not pull hard on the rim; preserving some air there helps create a puffed edge.

Can I bake this without a pizza stone or steel?
Yes. A heavy baking sheet turned upside down is a useful substitute. Preheat it in the oven, assemble one pizza at a time on parchment if transferring the dough is difficult, and slide the parchment and pizza onto the hot sheet. Check the base near the end of baking, since thin sheets and different ovens brown at different rates.

Can I substitute low-moisture mozzarella?
Yes, but the result will be less milky and soft, with a stretchier, more even melt. Use the same weight and grate or tear it into small pieces. You can also combine half fresh mozzarella and half low-moisture mozzarella for a balance of fresh cheese flavor and a drier topping.

Should basil go on before or after baking?
For this version, add most of the basil after baking. The heat of the pizza releases its aroma without scorching the leaves. If you like a softer, less vivid basil flavor, tuck a few leaves under the mozzarella before baking and add the remaining leaves at the end.

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