Andy Montoya
Pizza Margherita, also known as Margherita pizza, is a round pizza with a raised edge. It is typically made with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil, salt, and olive oil. The dough is made by mixing water, salt, and yeast with flour. The pizza is then baked in a brick oven, though electric or gas ovens are also used. The toppings on a Margherita pizza are said to represent the colours of the Italian flag, with red (tomato), white (mozzarella), and green (basil).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Shape | Roundish with a raised edge |
| Dough | Made with water, salt, yeast, and flour |
| Toppings | Mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, basil, olive oil, salt, garlic, red pepper flakes |
| Baking | Baked in a brick oven, or electric/gas oven |
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What You'll Learn
Margherita Pizzas Typically Include Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Pizza Margherita, or Margherita pizza, is a typical Neapolitan pizza. It is round with a raised edge and is seasoned with hand-crushed peeled tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil leaves, and extra virgin olive oil. The dough is made by mixing water, salt, and yeast with flour. The dough is then stretched outwards from the center and flipped several times to shape it into a disc.
The traditional Margherita pizza uses San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil, salt, and olive oil. The cheese used is typically fresh mozzarella, which is sliced rather than shredded. The mozzarella cheese is a key component of this classic pizza recipe. The pizza is then baked in a brick oven, although electric or gas ovens are also used.
The pizza is usually served hot on a plate or folded into four and wrapped in paper. The basil is often added after the pizza is baked to prevent it from wilting or blackening in the oven. The mozzarella cheese is also sometimes added after baking, to keep it fresh and prevent it from turning black.
The Margherita pizza was supposedly invented in 1889 when the Neapolitan pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito was commissioned to create a pizza in honor of the visiting Queen Margherita. The pizza was decorated with the colors of the Italian flag: red (tomato), white (mozzarella), and green (basil).
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The Pizza's Name Originates From Italy's Queen Margherita
Pizza Margherita, or Margherita pizza, is a Neapolitan pizza that is round with a raised edge. It is seasoned with hand-crushed peeled tomatoes, mozzarella (buffalo mozzarella or fior di latte), fresh basil leaves, and extra virgin olive oil. The dough is made by mixing water, salt, and yeast with flour.
The pizza is named after Queen Margherita of Savoy, who was Queen of Italy as the wife of King Umberto I. She was born Princess Margherita Maria Teresa Giovanna of Savoy on November 20, 1851, and became queen on January 9, 1878, when her husband ascended to the throne following his father's death.
According to a popular legend, the pizza was invented in 1889 when the Neapolitan pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito was commissioned by the Royal Palace of Capodimonte to create a pizza in honour of the visiting Queen Margherita. Of the three different pizzas he created, the queen preferred the one with the colours of the Italian flag: red (tomato), white (mozzarella), and green (basil). An official letter of recognition from the queen's "head of service" remains on display in Esposito's shop, now called the Pizzeria Brandi. However, later research has cast doubt on this legend, as no media of the period reported on the supposed visit, and both the story and name Margherita were first promoted in the 1930s–1940s.
Queen Margherita was a popular figure in Italy, known for her cultural and charitable work. She founded several cultural institutions, including the Società del Quartetto (Quartet Society) and the Casa di Dante (House of Dante). She also frequently visited and supported hospitals, schools, and institutions for children and the blind, founding the first library for the blind in Florence in 1892. She was also involved in state affairs, supporting conservative forces and nationalist causes.
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The Pizza's Toppings Represent the Colours of the Italian Flag
The Margherita pizza is a Neapolitan pizza that traditionally features three toppings: tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil. These toppings represent the colours of the Italian flag: red, white, and green.
The pizza is said to have originated in Naples, Italy, in June 1889 when the Royal Palace of Capodimonte commissioned pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito to create a pizza in honour of the visiting Queen Margherita. Of the three different pizzas he created, the queen preferred the one with toppings that matched the colours of the Italian flag. The pizza was then named after the queen, with an official letter of recognition from the queen's "head of service" remaining on display in Esposito's shop, now called the Pizzeria Brandi.
However, later research has cast doubt on this legend, as no media of the period reported on the supposed visit, and both the story and name Margherita were first promoted in the 1930s-1940s.
To make a Margherita pizza, you start by shaping the pizza dough on a floured surface into an 8-inch round that is 1/4-inch thick. You then transfer it to a pizza peel lined with parchment paper and reshape it if necessary. Next, you gently brush the dough with olive oil and spread the marinara sauce on top, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. You then sprinkle garlic over the sauce and top with mozzarella slices and tomatoes, leaving some space in between the ingredients. After sliding the parchment with the crust onto the heated stone, you bake the pizza for 8-10 minutes in a very hot oven (500-550 degrees F) until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Finally, you remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle basil, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes over the top, along with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
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The Dough is Stretched Outwards from the Centre by the Pizza Maker
Stretching the dough is an important part of the pizza-making process and can make a real difference to the texture and feel of the cooked pizza. The dough is made by mixing water, salt, and yeast with flour. Then, the pizza maker stretches the dough in a motion going outwards from the centre, pressing with the fingers of both hands on the dough ball, and flipping it several times, shaping it into a disc.
Before stretching the dough, it's a good idea to remove any jewellery from your hands, as these can cause tears in the dough. It's also essential to dust your work surface and your hands generously with either flour or semolina. The first step is to keep the dough ball on your work surface and gently press into it using your fingers. Keep pressing into the dough ball to flatten it and gently push your hands away from each other to help stretch the base outwards.
Once the dough is flattened out into a disc shape, put both hands flat onto the disc and rotate the dough as you pull your hands away from each other. Your hands should be pulling in opposite directions as you spin the base around. This helps to make the base bigger and to flatten out any lumps so you get a smoother, more even base.
Next, simply pick up your pizza base by the edge and let it hang down, gently pinching along the edge of the dough as you rotate the base around. This will also give you more control over how high the crust will be once it cooks up in the oven. At this point, start to check that your dough is evenly stretched by holding the stretched base up to the light to check how translucent it is. For a Neapolitan-style base, you want it quite thin, so a lot of light should be coming through.
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The Pizza is Baked in a Brick Oven, Traditionally
Pizza Margherita, also known as Margherita pizza, is a round pizza with a raised edge. It is made with hand-crushed peeled tomatoes, mozzarella (buffalo mozzarella or fior di latte), fresh basil leaves, and extra virgin olive oil. The dough is made with water, salt, and yeast mixed with flour.
The Pizza Margherita is traditionally baked in a brick oven. Brick ovens have been used to cook food since ancient times, and they became a key part of making pizza in Naples, where modern pizza was born. The brick oven is traditionally wood-fired, but electric or gas ovens are also used. Brick ovens can reach temperatures of up to 900°F (482°C), much hotter than regular ovens. This high heat and quick cooking time help retain nutrients in vegetable toppings and allow excess oil to drip off, resulting in a less greasy pizza.
Brick ovens excel at retaining moisture, which ensures toppings remain juicy and flavorful. The brick transfers heat to the dough more slowly than steel, allowing both the crust and toppings to cook simultaneously. This results in a crisp crust with dark spots, a moist and stretchy dough, and hot toppings.
While brick ovens are traditional, some pizzerias use ceramic pizza stones to get a similar effect. Home chefs can also use a ceramic pizza stone in their ovens, but it is difficult to replicate the unique flavor and texture of a brick oven pizza without the extremely high temperatures of a brick oven.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, traditional Margherita pizzas are typically topped with fresh mozzarella cheese.
A Margherita pizza is typically topped with fresh basil leaves, tomatoes, and a drizzle of olive oil.
The dough is made by mixing water, salt, and yeast with flour.
Fresh, balled mozzarella that you slice, not the shredded packaged kind.
After the pizza comes out of the oven, so that the leaves do do not wilt or blacken.
