Pizza Margherita

Name: Pizza Margherita
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: pizza dough (see page 30 for recipe); semolina flour; pizza sauce (see page 31 for recipe); 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, torn into chunks, about 2 cups; fresh basil leaves; olive oil; kosher salt

The Estate Bakery

Pizza Margherita

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The Strategy:

Pizza Margherita is the absolute queen of simple, rustic Italian comfort food. By layering a beautifully stretched, golden homemade dough with vibrant, aromatic pizza sauce, creamy melted mozzarella, and fresh, fragrant sweet basil, you create a spectacular visual and culinary masterpiece that tastes like a warm Italian summer. It is the ultimate showcase of how just a few simple, perfect ingredients can come together to make something truly extraordinary!

Serves: two round pizzas | Total Time: 45 minutes till it’s ready

Ingredients

pizza dough (see page 30 for recipe)
semolina flour
pizza sauce (see page 31 for recipe)
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, torn into chunks, about 2 cups
fresh basil leaves
olive oil
kosher salt

Instructions

Make dough

Preheat your oven (or oven with pizza stone) to 500° for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare, proof, and roll out the pizza dough to make two round pizzas.
Pierce the bottom of the dough with a fork.
Transfer one round to a pizza peel dusted with semolina flour.

Assemble and bake

Spread pizza sauce over the dough.
Place chunks of cheese over the sauce.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Transfer the pizza from the peel to the preheated pizza stone (or a baking sheet).
Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted all over the sauce.

Garnish and serve

Remove the pizza from the oven.
Top with fresh basil leaves, another drizzle of olive oil, and kosher salt.
Repeat with the second dough.

Thing to Note:

Thing to Note:

Thing to Note:

If you don’t have a pizza peel, use the back of a baking sheet. Dust the bottom (which is now the top) of the baking sheet with semolina flour. Place the dough onto the baking sheet and continue.

Make it "My Way":

Once you have this basic pizza all worked out, let’s try adding these other toppings to the sauce and cheese:

Artichoke hearts, olives, and ham
Sausage, sautéed Broccolini, and jarred cherry peppers
Pepperoni, roasted red peppers, and sautéed mushrooms
Crème fraîche, thinly sliced potato, caramelized onions, and crumbled bacon
And a family favorite, “meatza” pizza with crumbled sausage and bacon, thin-sliced pepperoni, and diced ham.

Action shot of a cook's bare hands dynamically transferring a topped raw Pizza Margherita from a wooden pizza peel dusted with semolina flour onto a preheated baking stone inside a professional oven in an estate kitchen. Soft steam and heat rise from the oven.

The full recipe lives in the Vault

Ingredients, step-by-step method, and every chef-tested detail are reserved for members of the Estate Registry.

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The Heart of the Table

Pulling a bubbling, blistered Pizza Margherita straight from the oven is a moment of pure culinary magic that instantly brings everyone together. The fragrant aroma of sweet basil, rich baked tomato sauce, and golden olive oil fills the kitchen, drawing guests to gather around in anticipation. Cut into crisp, steaming slices and served on a rustic board, this simple and classic masterpiece becomes the gorgeous center of a high-energy shared feast that celebrates the pure joy of homemade cooking.

A gorgeous single-view lifestyle photo of freshly prepared Pizza Margherita.

Neighborly Grace

THE PRESENTATION: Present the steaming, golden-crusted pizzas on large, rustic wooden peels or thick dark wood serving boards. Accompany with small ceramic dishes of flaky sea salt, crushed red pepper flakes, whole fresh basil leaves, and a polished cruet of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for table-side custom garnishing.
THE POUR: A dry, bubbly Italian Prosecco, a crisp and mineral-forward Vermentino, or a light-bodied Sangiovese. These wines feature bright, refreshing acidity that beautifully cuts through rich, melted cheese and elevates the herbaceous basil notes.
THE VIBE: Sun-drenched backyard pizza socials, relaxed weekend estate lunches, or cozy sunset terrace dinners. The environment is warm, elegant, and filled with the cheerful hum of friends sharing hot, fresh slices under the open sky.

Chef’s Recommendations

The Salad With Pizza: Layered Chopped Salad
The Other Thing From the Dough: Garlic Knot Rolls
The Sweet at the End: Caramel Toffee Cookie Dough Brownie Bars
The Wine on the Table: Red Wine Sangria

The Estate Table

Build tonight’s menu around this dish.

✦ Set the Table

Pizza Margherita

Pizza Margherita

The full recipe lives in the Vault

The Heart of the Table

Neighborly Grace

✨ The Gilded Swaps