Pizza is one of the Italian dishes that is undoubtedly a global favourite. New pizza places and delivery outlets keep popping up at every street, taking the art of pizza making a notch higher. The classic doughy pizza crust is topped with oodles of cheese, a flavourful marinara and the choicest toppings to make for an evergreen and delicious treat. Store-brought and restaurant-style pizzas aside, there's something so irresistible about homemade pizzas. During the pandemic, we all experimented with making our own pizza dough and pizza sauce and baking it to perfection. If you want to take your pizza-making skills to the next level, we have just what you need.
While there are plenty of pizza toppings and varieties out there, the classic margherita pizza is always something that strikes a chord with us. Be it children or adults, margherita is loved by all alike. A delectable combination of tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and basil leaves - margherita is simple yet somehow so delicious to taste. But what makes the margherita so delicious? And is it possible to make it from scratch at home like a pro? Here's all you need to know.
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History Of Margherita Pizza:
Believe it or not, the creation of Margherita pizza is quite intrinsically linked to the history of Italy itself. It is said that the pizza's name came from the name of the Queen of Naples, where pizza is said to have been born. Further, the pizza was originally created to be a representation of the Italian flag, with red being represented in Marinara sauce, green in the basil leaves, and white in the mozzarella cheese.
Tips And Tricks To Make Margherita Like A Pro:
- Ensure that the dough is well-rested and properly leavened so that the pizza dough rises well, and the crust turns out to be soft and chewy.
- Using your hands to shape the dough would prove to yield the best results. Avoid using a rolling pin, as the uneven dough would taste better.
- Do not overcook your marinara sauce, as an uncooked sauce tastes better once the pizza is baked. Further, the sauce also gets cooked during the baking process.
- Do not overload the pizza with too much quantity of any ingredient. Keep the ingredients balanced for the best texture and flavour profile.
- Remember to pre-heat the oven prior to baking so that the pizza is evenly baked for the best results.
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Classic Margherita Pizza Recipe | How To Make Classic Margherita Pizza:
Here's how you can make a classic margherita pizza from scratch at home. First, prepare the dough by mixing flour with yeast, olive oil and water. Mix for a couple of minutes and then knead by hand. Let it rest for at least an hour.
Once the dough is rested, preheat the oven and roll out the dough with your hands. Spread out some marinara sauce (you can use store-bought or homemade) along with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until it turns golden brown and the cheese melts. Serve drizzled with olive oil and some crushed pepper!
Click here for the full step-by-step recipe for classic margherita pizza.