Name: Neapolitan-style Margherita pizza
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 800 min
Yield: 4 pizzas
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 700 g Tipo 00 flour (680 g for the dough; reserve 20 g for dusting.); 400 ml Water (For the dough. At about 20°C.); 20 g Salt (20 g for the dough; add salt to the tomato topping to taste if needed.); 1 g Fresh yeast (For the dough. Weigh accurately; the schedule assumes a room at about 20°C.); 280 g Peeled tomatoes (For topping. Weigh with their juice, then crush by hand; do not cook.); 360 g Fior di latte (For topping. Cut into thin strips and drain in a sieve in the refrigerator for an hour.); 28 g Extra-virgin olive oil (For topping. For the four toppings.); 4 g Fresh basil (For topping.)

Give the dough twelve hours at about 20°C. Heat the baking stone during the final hour, and stretch each pizza just before topping it.

Make ahead Start the dough about thirteen hours before serving. The twelve-hour rise is included in the total; oven preheating overlaps the final rise.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 40 min
Rest: 12 hr
Yield: 4 pizzas
Difficulty: Medium

Neapolitan-style Margherita pizza

Prep 40 min · Cook 40 min · Rest 12 hr · Yield 4 pizzas · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

4 pizzas

700 g1½ lb
Tipo 00 flour680 g for the dough; reserve 20 g for dusting.1½ lb for the dough; reserve ¾ oz for dusting.
400 ml1⅔ cups
WaterFor the dough. At about 20°C.For the dough. At about 70°F.
20 g1 tbsp
Salt20 g for the dough; add salt to the tomato topping to taste if needed.¾ oz for the dough; add salt to the tomato topping to taste if needed.
1 g⅓ tsp
Fresh yeastFor the dough. Weigh accurately; the schedule assumes a room at about 20°C.For the dough. Weigh accurately; the schedule assumes a room at about 70°F.
280 g10 oz
Peeled tomatoesFor topping. Weigh with their juice, then crush by hand; do not cook.For topping. Weigh with their juice, then crush by hand; do not cook.
360 g12½ oz
Fior di latteFor topping. Cut into thin strips and drain in a sieve in the refrigerator for an hour.For topping. Cut into thin strips and drain in a sieve in the refrigerator for an hour.
28 g1 oz
Extra-virgin olive oilFor topping. For the four toppings.For topping. For the four toppings.
4 g4 g
Fresh basilFor topping.For topping.

Method

Pour the water into a large bowl and dissolve the 20 g salt in it. Stir in a small handful of the dough flour, then crumble in the yeast. Gradually work in the rest of the 680 g flour until no dry patches remain.Pour the water into a large bowl and dissolve the ¾ oz salt in it. Stir in a small handful of the dough flour, then crumble in the yeast. Gradually work in the rest of the 1½ lb flour until no dry patches remain.
Knead on a clean work surface for about 15–20 minutes, until the dough is smooth, soft and only slightly tacky. Avoid adding extra flour to stiffen it. Cover the bowl and leave for 2 hours at about 20°C.Knead on a clean work surface for about 15–20 minutes, until the dough is smooth, soft and only slightly tacky. Avoid adding extra flour to stiffen it. Cover the bowl and leave for 2 hours at about 70°F.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces, about 275 g each. Fold the edges of each piece underneath to make a smooth ball without tearing the surface. Put in separate covered containers with room to expand and leave for about 10 hours at 20°C. The balls should relax, expand and feel soft and aerated; warmer rooms shorten the rise.Divide the dough into 4 pieces, about 9½ oz each. Fold the edges of each piece underneath to make a smooth ball without tearing the surface. Put in separate covered containers with room to expand and leave for about 10 hours at 70°F. The balls should relax, expand and feel soft and aerated; warmer rooms shorten the rise.
During the last hour of rising, put the baking stone on a rack in the upper half of the oven, leaving enough space above for the pizza. Heat to the oven’s highest conventional setting, ideally 250–275°C, for at least 60 minutes or as directed for your stone. Drain the sliced fior di latte in the refrigerator. Crush the tomatoes and taste before adding any salt.During the last hour of rising, put the baking stone on a rack in the upper half of the oven, leaving enough space above for the pizza. Heat to the oven’s highest conventional setting, ideally 480–530°F, for at least 60 minutes or as directed for your stone. Drain the sliced fior di latte in the refrigerator. Crush the tomatoes and taste before adding any salt.
Lightly flour the work surface and peel. Lift out one dough ball with a scraper. Press from the center outward with your fingertips, leaving about 2 cm at the edge untouched. Turn and gently stretch to a round about 28–30 cm wide. Support the dough as you lift it; do not use a rolling pin or flatten the rim.Lightly flour the work surface and peel. Lift out one dough ball with a scraper. Press from the center outward with your fingertips, leaving about ¾ in at the edge untouched. Turn and gently stretch to a round about 11–11¾ in wide. Support the dough as you lift it; do not use a rolling pin or flatten the rim.
Spread one-quarter of the tomato over the center, leaving the rim bare. Add one-quarter each of the fior di latte, basil and oil. Check that the pizza moves freely on the peel, then slide it onto the hot stone. Top only one pizza at a time.Spread one-quarter of the tomato over the center, leaving the rim bare. Add one-quarter each of the fior di latte, basil and oil. Check that the pizza moves freely on the peel, then slide it onto the hot stone. Top only one pizza at a time.
Bake for about 7–10 minutes, turning once if one side colors faster, until the rim has risen and browned, the cheese has melted and the underside is cooked and lightly spotted. The exact time depends on the oven and stone. Serve immediately and repeat with the remaining pizzas, letting the stone regain heat between them. Allow up to 40 minutes to bake all four.Bake for about 7–10 minutes, turning once if one side colors faster, until the rim has risen and browned, the cheese has melted and the underside is cooked and lightly spotted. The exact time depends on the oven and stone. Serve immediately and repeat with the remaining pizzas, letting the stone regain heat between them. Allow up to 40 minutes to bake all four.