Pizza Margherita! (CONTEST IS CLOSED)
Today Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day
was published! Time to start baking from it, so I’m posting one of our favorite doughs from the book. I have to admit it took a while to decide which one to share, since our favorite seems to change with our moods. This Olive Oil Dough is fantastic for a thin crust, a thick crust and so many worldly flatbreads. No matter the technique you decide to try, you’ll love the results.
I like to make the classic Pizza Margherita, it’s the ultimate in Italian toppings. In fact, the colors resemble the Italian flag and the pizza was named for the Italian queen, Margherita, because she fell in love with it. Nothing but tomato, mozzarella, fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil. So pure and so tasty.
Pizza Margherita
Olive Oil Dough from Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day:
3 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Yeast
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
7 1/2 cups (scoop and sweep) unbleached all-purpose flour
Toppings:
1/3 cup tomato (Sauce recipe p. 109 or drain diced tomato straight from the can)
3 ounces Fresh Mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
Fresh Basil
Olive oil for drizzling over the top before baking
Pinch of salt
Flour, cornmeal or parchment for the pizza peel
To make the dough: Use our dump and stir method of mixing the dough in a 5-quart Container with Lid, using a Danish Dough Whisk or wooden spoon. Then cover the container, not airtight and let it rest for about 2 hours on the counter. The dough can then be used right away, but it is much easier to handle once it has been thoroughly chilled. The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks!
To make the pizza:
Preheat your oven to the highest setting, which will be 500 to 550°F, with a pizza stone in the bottom 1/3 of the oven. Depending on the thickness of your stone this can take between 20 and 40 minutes.
Pull out an 8-ounce piece of dough from your bucket and quickly form it into a ball, no more than 30 seconds of work. Let it sit on the counter while you gather your toppings.
Roll the ball out into a 1/8-inch-thick round. If the ball is resisting just let it sit for about 5 minutes and it will relax and allow you to work with it.
Sprinkle a Pizza Peel with flour. Spread the tomato over the dough.
Place the chunks of cheese over the sauce and drizzle with the olive oil.
Check for doneness in about 8 to 10 minutes, turn the pizza around if it seems to be browning on one side more than the other. It may take up to 5 more minutes.
Let the pizza cool slightly, so the cheese can set a little before cutting with a Pizza Cutter. This is best done on a cooling rack if you want to keep a crisp bottom crust.
Using the freezer to save even more time
You can freeze my doughs anytime during their batch life, for up to two weeks. Make half-pound (orange-size) balls and wrap them well before freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then use as usual. With the assistance of your freezer, there are three more ways to save even more time:
- To freeze prepared 1/8-inch thick dough disks, set up cookie sheets with parchment paper and freeze prepared dough disks on the parchment. As soon as they’re set (about 30 to 40 minutes), stack them, leaving parchment paper between disks. Pack into gallon-size ziplock bags, then freeze and use within three weeks. Bake them still frozen by placing, un-thawed, on a greased baking sheet, assembling the pizza, and then baking in a preheated oven. If you bake right on the parchment you can place it directly onto a preheated baking stone.
- To freeze a pre-baked pizza crust: Bake the crusts “blind”, docking (puncturing) them well with a fork, removing them from the oven when they just begin to brown (about four minutes). Check for puffing at one minute and dock again if you see any or you’ll end up with pita bread. Allow to cool on a rack before separating crusts with parchment or wax paper and freezing in a ziplock bag. These will be far superior to store-bought pre-baked pizza crusts, just as convenient, and a little quicker-baking than using unbaked frozen dough (see above). You can bake them frozen or defrosted (when using frozen crusts it will take a few more minutes to complete the baking).
- To freeze a pre-baked pizza: Bake a pizza as usual, and allow it to cool completely. Freeze in a heavy-duty freezer bag, preferably zip-lock. When ready to use, remove from bag, and place on a preheated baking stone for about 10 minutes (watch carefully to prevent scorching and consider lower baking temperature if you’re finding the pizza dry). While this method won’t be quite as impressive as the other methods on this list, it’s clearly the fastest.
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My favorite pizza is anything we make ourselves. We love to grill pizza on the BBQ.
Looks delicious! I love a white pizza with alfredo sauce as the base, grilled chicken, garlic and sometimes spinach on top. My other favorite toppings are ham and pineapple.
My favorite pizza is a garlic white sauce pizza with Roma tomatoes, mushrooms and pepperoni…..yum
I love broccoli and “sausage” TVP on pizza. Thanks for the recipe above!
We have been using ABin5 dough for pizzas since the first book came out, and we love it! Our favorite is a simple cheese pizza, with mostly mozzarella and a bit of smoked provolone. We add some oregano, minced garlic, and cracked black pepper to our crushed tomatoes, and finish with fresh basil and a spritz of olive oil.
Just one favorite pizza?? Now that’s hard to pick just one. At a restaurant, we had one with goat cheese which was really excellent. For homemade, I make a crust with crushed garlic and home grown oregano, homemade sauce topped with home grown banana peppers, mushrooms from the local farmer’s market and pepperoni – it just doesn’t get any better than that!
My favorite would have to be bacon, mushroom, onions, and cheese (though hamburger or sausage are also fine).
I also have some fond memories of a pesto deep-dish in Chicago (though it probably has too much cheese!).
My favorite pizza is a home made dough topped with basil pesto, a little cheese & black olives
My favorite pizza is from Zeek’s Pizza (a pizza chain in Seattle). They have a Thai Pizza that has Broccoli, Red Onion, Green Peppers, Bean Sprouts, Carrots, and Cilantro with a peanut sauce instead of the traditional pizza sauce. It’s amazing!! I haven’t tried to replicate it at home yet because it is so amazing I probably wouldn’t do it justice.
I make home made pizza every friday night! Our favorite is chicken-spinach-garlic-ranch with goat cheese!
My favorite pizza is topped with pesto, spinich and artichoke hearts. I have shared your Master recipe with so many friends. I’ve had baking classes at my house showing your recipes. Altho I live in Alaska…I would love to have the Pizza package sent to my daughter in WA. if I should win…Thank you as always for the sharing of bread…Beautiful!
Wish I still lived in Alaska 🙁
Choosing a favorite pizza is like choosing a favorite child. I love them all! Though I once had one topped with grilled shrimp, feta cheese, and delicate threads of zucchini that had been sauteed for just a moment with olive oil and garlic.
I love all kinds of pizza: traditional, BBQ chicken and pineapple, cheeseburger, mac ‘n cheese, I can’t wait to try all the different kinds in the new book.
We love making pizza at home and do it often. My kids’ favorite is sausage and pepperoni but no cheese…they’re crazy. My husband and I typically have lots of veggies too.
On another note, is there supposed to be olive oil in this dough too? You’re HB5 olive oil dough has oil in it. Did I miss it or is it just the oil you put on top?
Sandy: Oil’s just on top in this recipe… Jeff
Love grilled bbq chicken pizza with carmelized onions. We use your olive oil dough recipe from ABin5. Delicious! Can’t wait to get the new book!
My favorite pizza is a pizza bianca — whole wheat crust and topped with sun-dried tomatoes and capers. Perfect!
I’m from the midwest and we love Canadian bacon and sauerkraut pizza. Can’t wait to make it with your dough … and homemade mozzarella cheese.
My home grown basil and I have been waiting for October 25, 2011 for your Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in 5 minutes a Day book!
Yesterday I brought to the office a boule, couronne, epi, baguette and ciabatta…my office mates about fell off their chairs when I said I baked them…I said, well…. it was me along with my friends Zoe and Jeff! You have certainly turned a “no baker” into a “bread loving baker.”
Thank you thank you….and I can’t wait to try your classic Pizza Margherita…very excited.
I’m off to Barnes and Noble after work to get the book for me plus 3 for Christmas presents!
I miei rallegramenti!
Martha: Molto grazie!
I took one of your classes at Cooks of Crocus Hill last fall, and Jeff made a wonderful pizza with Manchego cheese, caramelized onions, and prosciutto. I’ve been making it ever since, and it is my absolute favorite. Can’t wait for Amazon to ship me my copy of the new book!
We love pizza and we make pizza every friday night- my favorite is chicken, artichoke and spinach with alfredo sauce!! I can’t wait to try this new recipe! thanks
My favorite pizza is the Margherita pizza. Before I discovered your bread baking books, I could only get it at Punch pizza.
Pizza Margherita! So simple and delicious. Home grown roma tomatoes and basil make it even more satisfying!
I made a post earlier, but didn’t see it, so I’m posting something similar. I have been experimenting with your recipes, making artisan loaves, English muffins, and pizzas using your dough. Also have been experimenting with adding different flours; rice flour, oat flour, whole wheat, adding portions of those flours to AP flour (usually add about 1/3 of those and 2/3 AP flour proportion of what the recipe requires).
Pizza Margherita is excellent, but one of my favorite pizzas might sound like an odd combination, but it’s really good. I suggest you try it sometime… pineapple with lots of fresh chopped garlic.
Love any veggie pizza. Just picked up copy of HB and made first bucket of Master Recipe yesterday. Tonight bread, but may try pizza Saturday.
I like veggie pizza, or a multi cheese pie.
I like all kinds of pizzas, but especially veggie pizzas.
I like all pizza, but it I could only choose one it would have to be Margherita. Congratulations on your new book. We loved the first one!
My favorite pizza is chicken with artichoke. Love to make pizza & looking forward to trying out your new book on flat breads.
Favorite pizza is made with our favorite Texas Salt Lick BBQ sauce as a base…adding leftover chicken, onions, green peppers, and whatever cheese is on hand.
The Olive Oil dough from ABin5 is a staple in our house. One patch makes three pizzas and it is available to grab from the fridge whenever anybody wants pizza! In a real pinch, we just use already made sauce (or a can of diced tomatoes) and some pre-shredded mozzarella and packaged pepperonis. Other times we get more creative, but truly we have NO REASON to ever call for a pizza delivery again 🙂
My favorite is either plain ol’ pepperoni or a gyro pizza. Though I’ve yet to meet very many well made gyro pizzas. Oh! And breakfast pizza!
My favorite all-time pizza is from a defunct pizza chain (at lease, there aren’t any more here in Nebraska) called Breadeux Pizza. The German pizza had a marinara sauce mixed with mustard, then topped with sausage, sauerkraut and colby-jack cheese. I know it’s something that would probably make pizza purists wince, but it was SO good.
I am excited to get the new book soon. I pre-ordered months ago. My favorite pizza is my homemade version of California Pizza Kitchen’s Tostada Pizza. I make it with homemade spicy black beans, cheese, lettuce and a little salad dressing on top.
I really enjoy barbecue chicken pizzas or other pizzas that aren’t just tomato sauce, a meat and a cheese. I recently tried a Thai spicy chicken pizza and it was yummy–that sweet/sour/salty flavors.
My current favorite is pineapple and jalapeno. I’m very excited about your new book!
My favorite pizza is white pizza with pesto. Congrats on the new book, I use the other two books frequently and look forward to this one!
I like to slice tomatoes really thin and put them on a basic dough with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt and oregano. Fresh out of the oven, it’s the best.
Our favorite pizza is a thin-crusty dough with tomato, mozzarella, ham and kernel corn. Yummy!!!
I love homemade pizza with chicken and lots of veggies. Mmmm.
Our favorite pizza is bbq sauce with chicken, red onion, green peppers and tomatoe with a few basil ribbons ;p
olive oil dough from AB5, olive oil roasted cherry tomato, pancetta, mushroom, mozz and prov. cheese pizza! Love your books… i preordered the book months ago and amazon is shipping it round Oct. 31??? What? Why? They r killin me!
just shipped 🙂
I love a good pizza margherita, but when good tomatoes and basil aren’t available, a nice italian sausage. My favorite ‘weird’ pizza combo is canadian bacon and sauerkraut – surprisingly good!
Ham and Pineapple pizza is my favorite. Just love it. Can’t wait to try your recipe.
My favorite pizza has carmelized onions and goat cheese on top. After I bake it, I drizzle with olive oil, add arugula, and toasted walnuts… Mmmm.
The best pizza is one that I make with my kids that tastes better than take out. Usually with pepperoni, olives and cheese.
We made a dozy of a pizza last night for dinner – caramelized onions, prosciutto, sun dried tomatoes, with mozerella and romano cheese, all baked in a 10 inch iron skillet prewarmed in the oven so that the oil covering the bottom crisps up the crust!
I LOVE pizza, especially simple, plain, thin crust pizza. Unfortunately, Kansas City doesn’t have very good pizza 🙁 When I lived in Pittsburgh, PA, I used to go to this pizza joint called Aiello’s. Their pizza is so delicious and unique that they actually ship their half-done-and-then-frozen pies anywhere in the US! (you then put it in the oven at home to reheat it). I would love to find out their secret! I figure since I can’t find really good pizza in KC, I might as well learn how to make my own pizza at home and see what I can come up with.
I love to make pizza with Thai peanut sauce, grilled chicken, onions and lots of red and yellow peppers. I know it sounds strange but it is SO good!
I love my pizza with very light tomato sauce, shrimp, ricotta cheese,basil and a light sprinkle of Romano cheese. Top with a small handful of arugula.
Love reading your blog and I did just stumble upon it today!
My favorite pizza is made from your A in 5 bread dough. I make it 1/2 and 1/2. Top it with sauce, cheese, black olives,mushrooms and onions. Yummy!