Margherita Pizza (Home Oven)
Par-baked dough topped with uncooked tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil.
"So fresh, so simple — this homemade Margherita pizza brings Italy right to your kitchen!" - Alexia
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pizza dough (for 2 pizzas)
- 1 can Pastene kitchen ready tomatoes
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (for grating on top)
- 2 cups small buffalo mozzarella balls (cut in half)
- Fresh basil leaves
- Pastene extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
- Garlic salt (to taste)
- Garlic powder (to taste)
- Cracked black pepper (to taste)
- Dried oregano (to taste)
- Red chili flakes (pinch)
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
Let the pizza dough rise until doubled in size and puffy. Squeeze out the air, form a tight ball, and place on a cookie sheet drizzled with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let rest for a couple of hours. Once ready, stretch the dough evenly on the sheet and poke holes with a fork to release steam.
Par-Bake the Crust
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the stretched dough for about 10 minutes, until slightly golden brown and par-cooked. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Make the Pizza Sauce
In a large bowl, combine the Pastene kitchen ready tomatoes with garlic salt, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper. Add a pinch of red chili flakes and a dash of dried oregano. Fold in the grated Pecorino Romano cheese and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Mix well. (Do not cook this sauce — it will cook in the oven.)
Assemble the Pizza
Spread the sauce evenly over the par-baked crust, leaving about a 1/2-inch border. Add the halved buffalo mozzarella balls, fresh basil leaves, and a generous grating of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Drizzle with olive oil.
Bake and Serve
Bake at 400°F until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the crust is golden. Slice and serve hot — a true Margherita classic!