The Authentic Recipe for Italian Pizza Margherita: How to Make Neapolitan-Style Pizza at Home

There’s a reason why, after centuries of evolution, pizza Margherita remains the undisputed queen of Italian cuisine.
It’s not just a dish. It’s a story. A symbol. A love letter written in dough, tomato, and mozzarella.

Born in Naples in 1889, the Margherita was created in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy — its colors echoing the Italian flag: red (tomato), white (mozzarella), and green (basil).
But this isn’t just history on a plate.
This is San Pellegrino-level perfection — born from tradition, fire, and respect for ingredients.

And yes — you can make it at home.

No fancy wood-fired oven? No problem.
With this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to craft an authentic Neapolitan Pizza Margherita — crisp crust, bubbling cheese, fragrant basil — right in your kitchen.
We’ll walk you through everything: from hand-stretched dough to the science of high-heat baking.

Let’s begin.

1. The Sacred Ingredients: Less Is More

Authentic Neapolitan pizza Margherita uses only four ingredients — no exceptions.
(Yes, even garlic and oregano are banned by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana.)

Tipo “00” Flour

Finely milled Italian wheat flour with low protein content — creates a tender, airy crust that chars perfectly without burning.

San Marzano Tomatoes

Grown in volcanic soil near Mount Vesuvius. Sweet, low-acid, meaty — they’re the soul of the sauce. Canned, whole, and D.O.P.-certified.

Fior di Latte or Mozzarella di Bufala

Fresh, soft, milky cheese. Don’t use pre-shredded — it contains anti-caking agents. Tear by hand for best melt.

Fresh Basil Leaves

Added after baking. Must be fragrant, vibrant, and never wilted.

🌿 Pro Tip: Use sea salt — not table salt. It enhances flavor without overpowering.

2. The Dough: Patience Is Your Secret Weapon

You don’t rush dough. You court it.

Ingredients (for 2 pizzas):

500g Tipo “00” flour

320ml cold filtered water (64% hydration)

15g fine sea salt

2g active dry yeast (or 0.7g fresh yeast)

Method:

Mix flour and water in a large bowl until shaggy. Cover and rest for 30 minutes (autolyse — lets gluten develop naturally).

Add salt and yeast, then knead gently by hand for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Bulk Ferment: Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with damp cloth, and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours.

Divide & Cold-Rise: Split into two balls. Place in sealed containers. Refrigerate for at least 24–72 hours.
→ This slow fermentation develops complex flavor and airy texture.

⏳ Why cold ferment?
Cold slows yeast activity but allows enzymes to break down starches into sugars — resulting in deeper caramelization and a delicate, slightly sweet crust.

3. The Sauce: Simplicity with Soul

Forget blended sauces.
Neapolitans crush tomatoes by hand.

Ingredients:

400g canned San Marzano tomatoes (D.O.P. certified)

Pinch of sea salt (only!)

Method:

Drain excess liquid from tomatoes (don’t rinse).

Crush them gently with your fingers over a bowl — leave some chunks.

Add salt. Stir once.
→ Do not cook. Do not add oil, garlic, or herbs.

The magic happens when raw tomato meets high heat.
Your sauce will caramelize on the crust — becoming jammy, sweet, and intensely aromatic.

4. Shaping: The Art of the Hand

Never use a rolling pin.

Take a dough ball out of the fridge 2–3 hours before baking — let it come to room temperature.

On a floured surface, press gently from center outward, leaving a thick rim (the cornicione).

Lift and stretch with your knuckles, rotating slowly — like a dancer turning in place.

Aim for a 10–12 inch circle, thin in the middle, puffy around the edge.

✋ Rule: If your dough tears — stop. Let it rest 10 more minutes. Rushing ruins the structure.

5. Assembling: Less Is Always More

Preheat your oven to its highest setting (ideally 260–300°C / 500–575°F).
If you have a pizza stone or steel — place it inside at least 1 hour before baking.

Lightly dust a pizza peel with semolina or cornmeal.

Transfer your stretched dough onto the peel.

Spoon 3–4 tablespoons of crushed tomato across the center — leave a 1-inch border.

Tear 100–120g of fresh mozzarella into small pieces and scatter evenly.

Drizzle one teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil (optional, traditionalists skip it).

Tuck 6–8 fresh basil leaves gently on top — do not bury them.

💡 Truth: In Naples, the pizza is assembled in under 30 seconds. Speed preserves freshness.

6. Baking: Fire Is the Final Teacher

Option A: Wood-Fired Oven (Traditional)

Heat oven to 400–450°C (750–850°F).

Slide pizza in. Rotate every 20–30 seconds.

Bake for 60–90 seconds.

Done when crust is charred in spots, cheese is bubbly and golden, and basil is bright green.

Option B: Home Oven (Still Magical)

Use a pizza stone or steel on the top rack.

Turn on broiler for final 2 minutes.

Bake at max temp (260–290°C / 500–550°F) for 8–12 minutes, switching racks halfway.

For extra crunch: Place a cast iron pan under the stone to create steam.

🔥 Secret Trick: Spray the oven walls with water just before sliding in the pizza — mimics the humidity of a wood-fired oven. Creates better blistering.

7. The Final Touch: Basil After Fire

Remove pizza from oven.
Immediately sprinkle a few extra fresh basil leaves on top.
Drizzle with a single drop of cold-pressed olive oil.
Let rest for 1 minute — allowing the cheese to set.

🎯 The Test of Perfection:
Lift a slice. The crust should lift easily — crisp outside, chewy inside, with leopard-spotted char.
The cheese should flow like molten silk.
The tomato should taste like summer sun.
And the basil?
It should smell like Italy.

Why This Isn’t Just Pizza — It’s Ritual

In Naples, pizza isn’t eaten with a fork.
It’s folded in half — “a libretto” (like a book) — and devoured standing up, often in a tiny street-side pizzeria where the chef has been making it since he was 12.

The UNESCO-listed art of Pizzaiuolo (Neapolitan pizza maker) demands 18 months of apprenticeship.
It’s not about speed.
It’s about reverence.

When you make pizza Margherita this way —
you’re not cooking.
You’re participating in a 130-year-old tradition of love, patience, and respect.

Final Thought: The Truth About Authenticity

You don’t need a wood-fired oven to make great pizza.
But you do need time.
You do need quality.
And you must believe that less is sacred.

So next time you make pizza Margherita…
Light a candle.
Play some Ennio Morricone.
And bake slowly — as if your hands are writing poetry in flour and flame.

Because sometimes, the most beautiful things in life…
are made with just four ingredients —
and a whole lot of heart.

🍕 Bon Appétit — or as they say in Naples:
“Mangia bene, ridi spesso, ama molto.”
(Eat well, laugh often, love deeply.)