Lighter Pizza Margherita Recipes

MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Make the Sauce: In a medium bowl, stir together the tomatoes, garlic, salt, sugar, pepper, and oil. (Alternatively, for a completely smooth sauce, you can blend the ingredients in a small food processor or blender.)
• Preheat the oven to 500°F and set an oven rack in the bottom position. Dust a 13x18-inch baking sheet with half of the cornmeal.
• On a lightly floured surface, using your hands, stretch and press one ball of dough into an 11-inch round. Transfer the dough to the cornmeal-dusted baking sheet, and gently stretch it out again so that it maintains its shape.
• Spread ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 7 minutes, until the crust is partially cooked. Remove from the oven, and scatter half of the mozzarella cubes over the sauce, followed by half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Slide the pan back into the oven and cook until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 4 minutes more. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Sprinkle with the basil and slice. Repeat with the remaining pizza dough and ingredients. (If you'd like to bake the two pizzas at the same time, you can fire up two ovens. Or, if you don't mind the crust a little thicker, you can form the two dough balls into 8x12-inch rectangles and place them side by side on the baking sheet.)
• Note: This recipe makes enough sauce for 4 (11-inch) pizzas. Refrigerate extra sauce for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

LIGHTER PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• First make the topping. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat and fry the onion for 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in the passata and gently simmer for 15 minutes, then season to taste. Remove from the heat, stir in the chopped basil and set aside while you make the base.
• Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/ gas 7. To make the base, mix the flour, 100ml tepid water and a pinch of salt in a large bowl using a wooden spoon. When it starts to come together and form a sticky dough, turn it out onto a liberally floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes with floured hands until it forms an elastic dough - it should be smooth, a little wet and no longer sticky. Sprinkle more flour onto the surface, then roll out the dough to the thickness of a £1 coin. Lift onto a lightly floured baking sheet, then bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden and puffed up at the edges.
• Spread the sauce thinly over the base, leaving a 2cm border around the edge for a crust, then top with the mozzarella and put the pizza back in the oven for 5-6 minutes until the cheese has melted. Top with the whole basil leaves and serve immediately.

LIGHTER PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Combine the flour, 25g polenta or semolina, 1 tsp salt and the yeast in a large mixing bowl. Pour in 2 tsp of the oil and nearly all the water. Mix together with your hands, adding as much of the rest of the water as needed, to pick up any dry bits in the bottom of the bowl. The dough should feel very sticky. Once it is mixed, cover and leave for 15 mins.
• Transfer the dough to a very lightly floured surface and knead just 12 times. Shape into a ball, return to the bowl, cover and leave for 10 mins. Repeat the kneading, leave for 10 mins more, then knead one more time and leave for 15 mins.
• While the dough rests, prepare the topping. Drain the can of tomatoes into a sieve set over a bowl (you can save the juice for another recipe, if you like). Put the tomatoes in another bowl and snip them into small pieces using scissors. Stir in the garlic and tomato purée with some pepper and a pinch of salt. Set aside. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and sprinkle with 1⁄2 tsp of polenta or semolina. Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9.
• Divide the dough in half. Keep one half in the bowl and knead the other just a few times on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a 26-28cm circle, pulling it into shape as well as rolling if that is easier. If the dough sticks to the surface, rub just a little oil on the work surface to help it grip. Lift onto the baking sheet, draped over a rolling pin if that helps, and re-shape if necessary.
• Spread half the tomato sauce over the dough, almost to the edge. Scatter over 1 handful of basil, torn into pieces. Tear and scatter over half the mozzarella, then dot over half the ricotta in small spoonfuls. Scatter over half the cherry tomatoes and season with pepper. Repeat with the second piece of dough and the remaining toppings.
• Bake the pizzas for 15 mins until the dough is golden and crisp, and the topping is bubbling. Serve each pizza scattered with half the rocket and Parmesan, with a drizzle of the remaining oil over each.

MARGARITA PIZZA

Steps:

• In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk well.
• Add the yogurt and mix with a fork or spatula until well combined, it will look like small crumbles.
• Lightly dust flour on a work surface and remove dough from the bowl, knead the dough a few times until dough is tacky, but not sticky, about 20 turns (it should not leave dough on your hand when you pull away).
• Preheat oven to 450F. I like to use a pizza stone, and preheat the stone in the oven as well. If using a round pizza pan or sheet pan, spray with oil.
• Sprinkle a work surface and rolling pin with a little flour and roll the dough out into a large thin round or oval (or you can make 2 smaller pies).
• Lay the dough out onto the oiled nonstick pizza dish or sheet pan.
• Spread the sauce over the crust. Top with cheese and place the pan on the pizza stone, bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is cooked through.
• Transfer to a cutting board, top with basil and drizzle with olive oil, if desired. Slice the pie into 8 slices.

AUTHENTIC PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Stir flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Set aside.
• Mix water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Let stand until yeast begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Stir half the flour mixture into yeast mixture until no dry spots remain. Stir in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When dough pulls together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, then place dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C)) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Punch dough down, divide into 4 equal pieces, and form each into a ball.
• Preheat oven with a pizza stone to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Stretch out and pat 1 dough ball to form a circle 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Place dough on a lightly floured pizza peel. Top with 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and spread to cover within an inch of the edge of the dough. Arrange 5 slices of mozzarella cheese on top of the tomato sauce, then place 5 basil leaves on top. Drizzle pizza with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Repeat for 3 remaining dough balls.
• Slide each pizza onto the pizza stone in the preheated oven. Bake until cheese is bubbly and the underside of the crust is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

PIZZA MARGHERITA RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, whisk the warm water, yeast, and sugar together. Place in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until yeast is foamy.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the dough comes together and becomes difficult to stir.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth, about 5 minutes. Add small amounts of flour as necessary to prevent sticking.
• Transfer the dough to a large bowl coated with olive oil. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the towel and punch the dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into 6-8 pieces, and shape each into a small ball.
• Place the formed balls onto a baking sheet and rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
• To shape the individual pizzas, press out the dough balls onto a lightly floured surface. Create a slightly thicker rim around the outside of the dough and continue to stretch into a 9- to 10-inch (23-25 cm) round.
• Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium heat, until the pan just begins to smoke, about 5 minutes.
• Carefully transfer a stretched pizza round onto the hot pan. Leave to cook for 2-3 minutes (the dough should begin bubbling up) until lightly tanned with a few dark spots. Flip and continue to cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes longer, until the crust is completely dry.
• Remove the dough to rest on a wire rack and repeat with remaining dough.
• To finish the pizzas, top each crust with tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella.
• Transfer to the oven and broil for 7 or 8 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the crust has developed a nice char in spots. Watch closely and move to a lower rack if necessary.
• Finish each pizza with fresh basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt.
• Enjoy!

CLASSIC MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with rack in lower third lined with a pizza stone or baking sheet. Turn dough out onto a pizza peel or thin wooden cutting board dusted with semolina (do not punch down). Starting in center and using both hands, press down and outward with your fingertips, rotating dough occasionally. Gradually work toward edges, leaving a 1-inch border of undisturbed dough, until it's stretched to an approximately 13-inch round.
• Lightly drizzle dough with oil; season with salt and pepper. Gently spread sauce evenly to just inside border, top evenly with mozzarella, and sprinkle with Parmigiano. With one quick forward-and-back jerking motion, slide pizza from peel onto stone. (This is not the moment to hesitate! Be brave and bold, and the pizza will slide off the peel.)
• Bake until crust is puffed, golden brown in places, and set on bottom, and cheese is bubbly, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pizza to a wire rack; let cool 2 to 3 minutes. Top with basil and pepper flakes, slice, and serve immediately.

PIZZA MARGHERITA IN 4 EASY STEPS

Steps:

• Make the base: Put the flour into a large bowl, then stir in the yeast and salt. Make a well, pour in 200ml warm water and the olive oil and bring together with a wooden spoon until you have a soft, fairly wet dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth. Cover with a tea towel and set aside. You can leave the dough to rise if you like, but it's not essential for a thin crust.
• Make the sauce: Mix the passata, basil and crushed garlic together, then season to taste. Leave to stand at room temperature while you get on with shaping the base.
• Roll out the dough: if you've let the dough rise, give it a quick knead, then split into two balls. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into large rounds, about 25cm across, using a rolling pin. The dough needs to be very thin as it will rise in the oven. Lift the rounds onto two floured baking sheets.
• Top and bake: heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 8. Put another baking sheet or an upturned baking tray in the oven on the top shelf. Smooth sauce over bases with the back of a spoon. Scatter with cheese and tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season. Put one pizza, still on its baking sheet, on top of the preheated sheet or tray. Bake for 8-10 mins until crisp. Serve with a little more olive oil, and basil leaves if using. Repeat step for remaining pizza.

PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine the oil, sugar, salt and 1 cup flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll each portion into a 13-in. circle. Transfer to two greased 14-in. pizza pans; build up edges slightly. Cover with a clean kitchen towel; let rest for 10 minutes., Spoon tomatoes over dough. Top with basil, oregano, cheese, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil. Bake at 450° for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.