Classic Margherita Pizza

Step 1: Make the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, salt, and sugar. Give it a quick stir with a fork to distribute everything evenly.

Add the warm water and olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hand until a shaggy dough forms — it'll look rough and messy, and that's completely fine.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and slightly tacky (not sticky). If it's sticking to your hands, add flour one tablespoon at a time.

Step 2: Let the Dough Rise

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn it once to coat all sides with oil so it doesn't dry out.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and set it in a warm spot — near the oven, on top of the fridge, or anywhere that's around 75–80°F (24–27°C).

Let the dough rest for 30 minutes minimum. You'll notice it puffing up slightly — that's the yeast doing its job. While it rests, make the sauce.

Step 3: Make the Tomato Sauce

Open the can of San Marzano tomatoes and pour them into a bowl. Use your hands or a fork to crush them into a rough, chunky purée — you want texture, not smoothness.

Add the minced garlic, olive oil, salt, and dried oregano. Stir to combine. Taste it — it should be bright and slightly tangy. Adjust salt if needed.

This is a no-cook sauce, which is intentional. It will cook perfectly in the oven and taste fresher than a cooked sauce would.

Step 4: Preheat the Oven

Place a baking sheet or pizza stone on the top rack of your oven. Preheat to 500°F (260°C) — or as high as your oven will go. This is crucial.

The oven needs to be blazing hot before the pizza goes in. That high heat is what gives you a blistered crust and properly melted cheese in just 10–15 minutes.

Let the oven preheat for at least 30 minutes so the baking sheet or stone is fully saturated with heat — not just the air inside.

Step 5: Stretch the Dough

Lightly flour a sheet of parchment paper. Place the rested dough in the center and press it out flat with your palms. Then use your knuckles to gently stretch it outward from the center, working around the circle.

Aim for a 12-inch round — but don't stress about it being perfect. Rustic edges are part of the charm. If the dough springs back, let it rest for 5 minutes before continuing.

Leave a slightly thicker border around the edge — that becomes your crust. It should be about ¼ inch thick in the middle and a bit thicker at the rim.

Step 6: Top the Pizza

Spoon about 4–5 tablespoons of the tomato sauce onto the center of the dough. Use the back of the spoon to spread it in a thin, even spiral, leaving a 1-inch border clean for the crust.

Tear the fresh mozzarella into rough chunks and scatter them evenly over the sauce. Don't cover every inch — you want gaps so the sauce peeks through and the cheese gets those beautiful caramelized edges.

Drizzle a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil over the top. Add a pinch of flaky sea salt on the cheese.

Step 7: Bake Until Blistered and Golden

Carefully slide the pizza (still on the parchment paper) onto the hot baking sheet or stone in the oven. Close the door and bake for 10–13 minutes.

Watch for these signs it's ready: the crust edges are puffed and dark golden-brown, the cheese is fully melted and starting to bubble and blister, and the bottom of the crust is firm and deeply golden — not pale.

Every oven runs slightly different, so start checking at 10 minutes. If the top looks done but the bottom is still pale, move the pizza to the lower rack for 1–2 more minutes.

Step 8: Add Basil and Serve

Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately scatter the fresh basil leaves on top. They'll wilt gently from the residual heat — don't add them before baking or they'll turn black and bitter.

Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and let the pizza rest for 2 minutes before slicing. This helps the cheese set slightly so it doesn't all slide off when you cut it.

Slice into 8 pieces and serve immediately. Every bite should give you that crispy-chewy crust, tangy-sweet sauce, creamy mozzarella, and fragrant basil all at once.