Classic Margherita Pizza

If you can make a great Margherita, you can make anything. There's nowhere to hide behind three ingredients, so each one has to be good — and the technique has to be right. This is the pizza we'd judge any kitchen by, our own included.

Ingredients (per pizza)

• 1 sourdough base
• 70g raw tomato sauce — crushed San Marzano with a pinch of salt (see our tomato guide)
• 80g fior di latte or buffalo mozzarella, torn and drained
• Fresh basil leaves
• Extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt

Method

1. Stretch the base to about 30cm, leaving a thicker rim. No rolling pin — press from the centre out with your fingertips.
2. Spread the sauce in a thin layer, leaving a 2cm border.
3. Scatter the drained mozzarella and drizzle a little olive oil.
4. Bake as hot as possible — 250°C+ on a steel or stone — until the crust is puffed and charred, 6–8 minutes.
5. Out of the oven, add fresh basil, a final drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt.

Drain the mozzarella well and keep the sauce thin. A soggy Margherita is nearly always too much liquid, not too little heat.