Margherita Pizza with Basil
After I finished my Master’s degree in 2014, one of the first recreational things I did was to take a pizza cooking lesson at Opal by Gordon Ramsay. The lesson itself was a little disappointing because there wasn’t really anything to do other than watch the chef and listen to him while he made the pizza. I was hoping to make a pizza under his guidance. That said, in the end, I got to watch a professional chef demonstrate how to make a pizza, and then I got to eat it. I was also given the recipe we used, on which I wrote my notes about his tips and advice. The paper recipe is long gone now, but I did take a photo of it. So the recipe and my notes are digitally intact.
Four years have since passed. Although I brought cookbooks back from my travels since returning to Doha, I hadn’t really used any of them until last year when I received my permanent accommodation in the Pearl. The first things I ever cooked in my new home were all Italian recipes from my trip to Rome; Asparagus Risotto; tiramisu; and the following recipe, Margherita Pizza with Basil.
Most of this recipe came from Rome: Centuries in an Italian Kitchen. But I also used elements from the Chiappa cookbook to make it. What surprised me the most about the pizza was how much pizza in North America has changed from the basic Italian version. What we call pizza in North America has piles of cheese and toppings, and I enjoyed it as a university student and for years beyond. However, once I had pizza this way, there was no going back. All those extra toppings and cheese may add content, but they don’t necessarily make a better pizza. I made this pizza for my parents during my last trip to Saskatchewan, and my father especially loved it. The traditional pizza is actually pretty easy to make and only uses a few ingredients. Sometimes less is more.
Margherita Pizza with Basil | |
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Ingredients (Makes 4 12-inch Pizzas)Pizza Crust
Pizza Sauce
Toppings
It’s worth taking a moment to chat about pizza stones. These are used to mimic the effect of using a brick oven, in which the heat from the stone does a lot of the work to cook the pizza. Some people say it results in a crispier crust, and that the stone is less likely to burn the crust because it conducts heat slowly. However, pizza stones are not necessary for making a good pizza. Just keep an eye on the crust, when it’s golden, your pizza is done! Preheat the oven to 480° F. Prep the ingredients. Start by dissolving the yeast and sugar in the water. Let it rest for about 10 minutes. Use a fork to mix the salt into the flour, chop the garlic, and tear up the mozzarella. The pizza dough can be made by hand or by using a mixer. For handmade dough, use the fork to mix and slowly add the water to the flour until starts to form a dough. Then add the oil and form it into a ball. Put the dough onto a floured board and start kneading until it becomes elastic with a smooth texture. It will take about 15 minutes. By comparison, the mixer is easier but takes about the same amount of time. If using the mixer, place the flour and salt into the mixer and add about half the water. Mix for three minutes and then add the remaining water while the mixer is still running. Continue mixing for another 10 minutes and check the dough. If it’s got a smooth texture and feels elastic, then it’s ready, otherwise, give it another 2-3 minutes in the mixer. Once the dough is ready, place it into a bowl and let it rest covered with a damp cloth for 30 minutes. While the dough is resting, make the sauce. Making pizza sauce is quite easy. Use a stick blender or place the sauce ingredients into a blender, and blend until the mixture is smooth. It should only need about thirty seconds. Pour the sauce into a bowl and wait for the dough to finish resting. Once the dough is ready, spread some semolina onto a large cutting board. You can also use the countertop, but just be sure to clean it thoroughly beforehand, wiping with water and drying the surface to ensure the countertop is free of chemicals. Cut the dough into four pieces and form them into tennis-sized balls. Roll the dough out until it’s about 3 mm thick. Place the dough onto a floured pizza paddle or into a floured pizza pan at this point. Spread the tomato sauce from the center of the pizza out towards the edges leaving about 1 cm edge for the crust. Add 1/4 of the mozzarella to the top. Slide the pizza directly onto the stone if using the paddle, or just place the pizza pan onto the stone. If your oven is big enough, you could do two pizzas at the same time. Be sure to open and close the door quickly to keep as much heat in the oven as possible. Once the crust starts to brown, remove the pizza from the oven and place it on a rack to cool and add the fresh basil to the top. Start prepping the next pizza, and repeat the process. There’s no need to prep the next pizza(s) while waiting because we want the oven hot. The time it takes to prep the next pizza will give the oven a chance to heat up. The pizza can be served hot right away. It’s also quite tasty a day later, though usually the pizza never makes it to the next day. |