Homemade Margherita Pizza on Stone or Steel

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Pro-quality crust at home: airy cornicione, crisp underside, and gentle “leopard” charring from a blazing-hot stone or steel.
• Balanced toppings: bright crushed tomatoes, creamy fresh mozzarella, and fragrant basil—simple, classic, perfect.
• Make-ahead friendly: a 24-hour cold ferment builds flavor and makes the dough easier to stretch.
• Clear, precise guidance with grams, cups, temperatures, and timing so results are reliably great.

Grocery List

• Produce: Fresh basil
• Dairy: Fresh mozzarella (fior di latte or buffalo)
• Pantry: Tipo 00 or bread flour, instant yeast, fine sea salt, canned whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano preferred), extra-virgin olive oil, semolina or all-purpose flour for dusting, optional sugar

Full Ingredients

Dough (2 x 12-inch pizzas)

• 400 g bread flour or Tipo 00 (about 3 1/3 cups, spooned and leveled)
• 280 g water, divided (about 1 1/4 cups), 260 g for autolyse + 20 g for salt/yeast
• 8 g fine sea salt (1 1/2 tsp)
• 1 g instant yeast (1/4 tsp)

Sauce & Toppings

• 1 x 400 g can whole peeled tomatoes (14 oz), hand-crushed or pulsed 2–3 times
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (about 3 g), to season the tomatoes
• Pinch of sugar (optional, only if tomatoes taste sharp)
• 225 g fresh mozzarella (8 oz), drained, patted dry, and torn into 2–3 cm pieces
• 12–16 fresh basil leaves
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided (about 1 tbsp for baking; 1 tbsp to finish)
• Semolina or all-purpose flour for dusting the peel and counter

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Autolyse the flour

In a large bowl, mix 400 g flour with 260 g water (room temperature, about 70–75°F / 21–24°C) until no dry spots remain; the dough will look shaggy. Cover and rest for 20 minutes. This hydrates the flour, improving extensibility and flavor.

Step 2: Add yeast and salt, then knead

In a small cup, dissolve 8 g salt and 1 g instant yeast in the remaining 20 g water. Pour over the dough. Pinch and fold to incorporate, then knead in the bowl or on a lightly damp surface for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky. Rest 10 minutes, then perform 2 sets of stretch-and-folds at 10-minute intervals to build strength.

Step 3: Cold ferment for deep flavor

Shape the dough into a tight ball. Lightly oil a lidded container, place the dough inside, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours at 39–43°F (4–6°C). This slow rise develops complexity and makes hand-stretching easier.

Step 4: Divide, ball, and warm

After 24 hours, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into two equal pieces (about 330–335 g each). Form each into a tight ball by tucking edges underneath. Place into lightly oiled containers, cover, and let sit at room temperature for 60 minutes to relax the gluten for easy stretching.

Step 5: Prepare sauce and cheese

Hand-crush the canned tomatoes in a bowl. Stir in 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of sugar only if the tomatoes taste too sharp. Do not cook the sauce. Pat the fresh mozzarella dry with paper towels and tear into bite-size pieces. Keep the basil leaves whole (they’ll go on after baking).

Step 6: Preheat stone or steel until blazing hot

Place a pizza stone or baking steel on the top-middle oven rack. Preheat at 550°F (290°C) or as hot as your oven goes for 45 minutes. If your oven has a broiler, ensure it’s available for the last minute of baking to add color.

Step 7: Hand-stretch and top

Lightly flour the counter and your hands. Place one dough ball on the flour and gently press from the center outward, leaving a 1-inch rim. Lift and stretch over your knuckles, turning as gravity helps reach 12 inches. Dust a peel with a thin layer of semolina. Lay the dough on the peel, ensuring it slides freely.

Spread 90–100 g (about 1/3 cup) crushed tomatoes evenly, leaving the rim clean. Distribute half the mozzarella (about 110–115 g), then drizzle 1 tsp olive oil. Avoid overloading; thin topping ensures a crisp base.

Step 8: Bake, finish, and repeat

Launch the pizza onto the hot stone/steel. Bake 6–8 minutes until the crust is puffed with light charring and the cheese is bubbling. Optionally, switch to broil for the last 30–60 seconds for extra color. Remove, top immediately with fresh basil leaves, and drizzle about 1 tsp olive oil. Rest 2 minutes before slicing. Repeat with the second dough ball and remaining toppings.

Pro Tips

• Weigh ingredients. Grams give consistent results; flour volume can vary widely.
• Dry the mozzarella well. Excess moisture can make the center soggy.
• Keep the rim clean. Sauce or cheese on the edge prevents proper oven spring.
• Less is more. Use about 90–100 g sauce and 110–115 g cheese per pizza for a balanced bake.
• Use the broiler judiciously. A 30–60 second broil at the end mimics wood-fired spotting without overcooking the cheese.

Variations

• Same-Day Dough: Use 3 g instant yeast (1 tsp). Skip the 24-hour cold ferment; bulk-rise 60–90 minutes at warm room temp (75–78°F / 24–26°C), then ball and rest 30–45 minutes. Flavor is milder, but still tasty.
• Neapolitan-Leaning: Use all Tipo 00 flour and 62% hydration (248 g water), same salt and yeast. Bake at max heat and finish with a short broil; top very lightly to keep the center tender.
• Buffalo Mozzarella: Substitute buffalo mozzarella, thoroughly drained and gently squeezed dry. Add just after baking if very wet, letting residual heat soften it.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Dough balls can cold ferment up to 48–72 hours; if going beyond 24 hours, reduce yeast to 0.5 g (scant 1/8 tsp). For longer storage, freeze balled dough up to 2 months: lightly oil, wrap, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temp for 2–3 hours before stretching. Unused crushed tomato sauce keeps 4 days chilled or 3 months frozen. Leftover baked pizza keeps 3 days refrigerated; reheat on a preheated steel or stone at 450°F (232°C) for 6–8 minutes, or in a covered skillet over medium heat until crisp and hot.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate for 1/4 of the recipe (half a 12-inch pizza): 590 calories; 22 g protein; 78 g carbohydrates; 19 g fat; 3 g fiber; 950 mg sodium. Values will vary with brand and exact toppings.