Pizza Margherita in 4 easy steps

Invented in Naples in honor of the first queen of Italy, the Margherita pizza is the triumph of Italian cuisine in the world.

Ingredients

On a wooden or marble work surface, shape the flour into a well. Place the yeast, salt and warm water in the center. Be careful not to let the salt come in contact with the yeast. Knead the dough vigorously with your hands for 15-20 minutes, or in a mixer, until the dough is soft and smooth. Once you have the right consistency, adding a bit of water or flour if necessary, shape the dough into a ball. Cover with a plastic bowl so that the dough is protected from the air. Let rise for 3 or 4 hours at room temperature for about an hour in a warm place. Once the dough will be doubled in volume, ricavatene 6 loaves, modellateli in spherical shapes, cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and let them rise at room temperature for a couple of hours or in a warm place for about 45 minutes. As soon as the loaves have doubled in volume, prepare the tomato sauce and place it in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and 1/3 of the olive oil. Knead the dough, then flattening them using your fingers.

Use a ladle or a spoon to spread a good amount of tomato sauce on the pizza. Then, cover with mozzarella, torn into pieces. Garnish with a couple leaves of basil and bake in a 480° F oven for 5 or 6 minutes.Once ready, remove the pizza from the oven. Garnish with more basil and a drizzle of oil. Serve immediately.