Pizza Margherita

Elena Butuc

About a week ago I was asked what my favourite food was - and I immediately said "Pizza!" I can cook many dishes, which are all tasty and I enjoy almost all of them - but I would always eat pizza, plenty of and in various combinations... Because I've tried so many toppings, I've got tired of salami, chicken pizza etc. and now I'm looking for fresh flavours and combinations. And that's how I got back to the "mother" of all pizzas - Pizza Margherita - this is where all the other pizzas with all sorts of toppings originally come from.

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Ingredients

Metric US

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Canned chopped tomatoes, 300g

1 piece

or diced fresh tomatoes - for decor you can use some cherry tomatoes

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Mozzarella

250 g

I learned it's possible to use other types of cheese as well - but if you want authentic Margherita, use mozzarella

●

Olive oil

2 tbsp

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Garlic

3 pieces

3 cloves

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Dried basil

0.5 tsp

●

Salt

1 tsp

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Ground black peper

0.25 tsp

1/4 tsp

Step by step

Step 1

Make the base following my recipe, Classic Pizza Dough.

While dough is rising, we prepare the toppings.

Step 2

Of course, for a tastier pizza, you'll need a very good tomato sauce - it will give a taste of completeness.

So, prepare the canned chopped tomatoes, peel, wash and mince the garlic.

Step 3

Heat some olive oil in a skillet, then add in the finely minced garlic. Stir periodically and cook for 2-3 minutes, enough for the garlic to release its flavour. Don't cook until brown, it will get bitter and it will ruin the taste.

Step 4

When garlic is cooked, pour in the tomato paste, stir properly and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Season with salt (to taste), pepper and basil, cook for 2 more minutes and don't forget to mix.

Step 5

Cut into slices or grate the mozzarella.

If you are using mozzarella, it's even easier to tear it into small pieces and spread over the pizza.

Step 6

Now we are making the pizza:

You'll have 2 big pizzas if you follow my Classic Pizza Dough recipe. Split dough into 2 balls (don't forget to grease your hands when working the dough). Roll out the dough with your hands or using the rolling pin and lift onto a pizza pan greased with oil.

Top the base with half of the sauce and smooth over the entire surface.