Margherita pizza is an Italian specialty that originated in Naples. This pizza is protected in Italy, meaning it must be prepared in a specific way to bear the “pizza Margherita” label, and the Italian government certifies bakeries that make it. This pizza is extremely simple, focusing on fresh, wholesome ingredients and high-quality bread dough. It is also the foundation for many pizzas served around the world; most people can get a local pizza place, and cooks can make it at home.
Garlic is frequently used in Margherita pizza. Traditional Neapolitan pizza is made with a dough made of flour, salt, and yeast. The dough is mixed, kneaded, and formed into rounds before being covered in toppings of the cook’s choice and baked in a high-temperature oven. The high temperature causes the dough to become very crispy; some Italians prefer theirs almost burnt, and it sears the toppings. The pizza is ready for slicing, serving, and eating after only a few minutes.
Pizza Margherita is entirely made with mozzarella cheese, which should be as fresh as possible. They use mozzarella di bufala, an Italian type of mozzarella. You can then top it with some fresh tomatoes from Italy. If you can’t find San Marzano canned tomatoes, you’ll have to make do with regular canned tomatoes.
Margherita pizza is a traditional Italian dish. This Margherita pizza, adapted from Roberta’s restaurant in Brooklyn, is low on cheese (less than 3 ounces of fresh mozzarella) and high on the sauce. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, and a few freshly torn basil leaves on top of the sauce.
It tastes like fresh mozzarella. The sauce tastes sweet and tangy, similar to marinara or pasta sauce. The crust is delicious, with charred bubbles reminiscent of Neapolitan pizza. It’s difficult, but it’s doable.
The Italian Queen Margherita of Savoy, who reigned from 1878 to 1900, decided to pay a state visit to Naples with her husband, King Umberto I, in 1889. According to legend, the queen became tired of the gourmet French cuisine served on the trip and asked Raffaele Esposito of Pizzeria Brandi, Naples’ most famous pizzamaker, to make her pizza.
According to legend, the pizza she preferred was made with mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, which also happened to be the three colors of the Italian flag. Isn’t it convenient? The dish was named after Queen Margherita by Esposito, and the rest is disputed history.
Another story theorizes that the word Margherita translates to “daisy” in Italian, so the pizza got its name from the daisy-shaped arrangement of mozzarella and basil on top of the pizza.
The main distinction is that Margherita pizza is made with fresh mozzarella, which contains more liquid than regular mozzarella. The mozzarella on an American cheese pizza is drier than on a specialty pizza. Margherita’s recipe calls for fresh tomatoes and basil every time. These ingredients can be found in American pies as well.
A Margherita pizza is technically a cheese pizza, but a regular cheese pizza’ is a simpler dish with tomato sauce and cheese on top. While mozzarella is the most common cheese used on a cheese pizza, other cheeses such as parmesan may be used in the toppings to create a unique flavor profile.
Made in New York Pizza is a Manhattan pizzeria that serves the best pizza in town. Our pizza chefs prepare authentic New York-style pizza with the freshest ingredients for those who live in the city or are visiting for the first time and have always wanted to try a slice from a real New York pizzeria.
Our goal is to become the epitome of what people think of when they think of New York-style pizza. It doesn’t matter if it’s a square or a triangle, as long as the flavors satisfy our customers’ tastes. Made in New York, Pizza, endorsed by culinary and celebrity luminaries, is becoming a community staple. We already have multiple locations, including our original Upper West Side shop and a new West Village location that features NFTs in our artwork.
Every time they order from our menu, kids and adults alike will appreciate the flavors of our various types of pizza. Since our inception, we have expanded our reach to multiple Manhattan neighborhoods, allowing more people to easily obtain the pizza they crave.
A pizza margherita (or margherita pizza) is made with basil, tomato, extra virgin olive oil, and thin slices of fresh mozzarella.
Margherita pizza is a traditional Italian dish. This Margherita pizza, adapted from Roberta’s restaurant in Brooklyn, is low on cheese (less than 3 ounces of fresh mozzarella) and high on the sauce. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, and a few freshly torn basil leaves on top of the sauce.
Another story theorizes that the word Margherita translates to “daisy” in Italian, so the pizza got its name from the daisy-shaped arrangement of mozzarella and basil on top of the pizza.
Pizza Margherita is entirely made with mozzarella cheese, which should be as fresh as possible. They use mozzarella di bufala, an Italian type of mozzarella. You can then top it with some fresh tomatoes from Italy. If you can’t find San Marzano canned tomatoes, you’ll have to make do with regular canned tomatoes.
It tastes like fresh mozzarella. The sauce tastes sweet and tangy, similar to marinara or pasta sauce. The crust is delicious, with charred bubbles reminiscent of Neapolitan pizza. It’s difficult, but it’s doable.
According to legend, the pizza she preferred was made with mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, which also happened to be the three colors of the Italian flag. Isn’t it convenient? The dish was named after Queen Margherita by Esposito, and the rest is disputed history.
The whole wheat flour in this recipe adds another dimension with a chewy, crispy crust. Thinly sliced fresh basil leaves and whole-milk mozzarella keep this in the traditional realm of pizza Margherita, but you can add some caramelized onions or sautéed broccoli rabe if you want to branch out. Get our Whole Wheat Margherita Pizza recipe.
Smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced garlic, and sliced raw potatoes (medium-size red or other waxy potatoes like fingerlings) make this an unusual pie that’s perfect for a light lunch or appetizer. Get our Potato and Cheese Pizza recipe.
Cheese pizza, while just as delicious, doesn’t follow any of the strict guidelines that make a true pizza Margherita. Fresh mozzarella can be used, but often that’s reserved for the fancier artisanal pizza places—and regular packaged, grated mozzarella still makes for a delicious dinner. Cheese pizzas have a significant amount more cheese and no visible sauce, and various combinations of cheese are often used (like fontina, Parmesan, and other mild picks).
“Pizza Margherita” was allegedly created in the late 1800s by a Neapolitan pizzaiolo (pizza maker) named Raffaele Esposito to display the colors of an Italian flag with tomatoes (red), mozzarella (white), and basil (green). The real secret is using the highest quality ingredients. The Neapolitan-style pizza has a simple sauce (often just crushed fresh tomatoes or canned San Marzano tomatoes), and is topped with only mozzarella di bufala, basil, and a drizzle of olive oil—and perhaps some salt. It cooks quickly at a high temperature (in a wood-fired oven) and has a thin and crispy crust.
Check out our seven recipes for both cheese and Margherita pizza and you’ll be as happy as a hero in a half shell (those Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles knew what was up).
Margherita Pizza – Fresh Garlic, Basil and Roma Tomatoes – PoorMansGourmet
FAQ
What makes a Margherita pizza different?
What does Margherita mean in pizza?
What’s the difference between margarita and Margherita?
What is Margherita made of?
What is the difference between a Margherita and a pizza?
Compared to other types of pizzas, the Margherita is usually lighter and has a more subtle flavor. The Pizza also contains fewer and fresher ingredients than different pizzas. The mozzarella and tomato sauce are the show’s stars, while the basil provides a slight herby flavor.
What is Margherita pizza made of?
Margherita pizza can vary from city to city but Neapolitan Margherita pizza is made with a thin layer of pizza sauce, hand torn pieces of mozzarella di bufala; and fresh basil. The Buffalo mozzarella is key; it is a mozzarella made from the milk of Italian Mediterranean buffalo, specifically from Caserta and Salerno, Italy.
What are the toppings on a pizza Margherita?
So, what are those toppings! A pizza margherita (or margherita pizza) is made with basil, tomato, extra virgin olive oil, and thin slices of fresh mozzarella.
Can you make more than one Margherita pizza?
Unless you’re serving just 1-2 people, you will want to make more than one margherita pizza, luckily the pizza dough makes 3 thin crust pizzas and the margherita pizza sauce recipe makes enough for 6 margherita pizzas. So, you can either make: 1 pizza: freeze the leftover sauce and pizza dough.