Pizza Margherita

Pizza Margherita is a type of pizza originating from Italy. Named after Queen Margherita of Savoy, it is traditionally made with simple, fresh ingredients: a basic dough, raw tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and olive oil. It is a culinary representation of the Italian flag, with red tomatoes, white mozzarella cheese, and green basil.

History

The Pizza Margherita owes its name to Italy's Queen Margherita who in 1889 visited the Pizzeria Brandi in Naples. The Pizzaiolo (pizza maker) on duty that day, Raffaele Esposito is credited with inventing the Pizza Margherita when he topped a pizza with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil to represent the national colors of Italy as on the Italian flag.

Ingredients

The basic ingredients for a Pizza Margherita are a pizza dough, which is spread with a layer of San Marzano tomatoes, a type of plum tomato that grows in the volcanic soil around Mount Vesuvius. The pizza is then topped with slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, preferably mozzarella di Bufala Campana, a mozzarella made from the milk of water buffalo in the region of Campania. The pizza is then seasoned with fresh basil leaves and extra virgin olive oil before being baked in a wood-fired oven.

Preparation

The dough for Pizza Margherita is made from wheat flour, natural yeast or brewer's yeast, salt and water. The dough is kneaded and then left to rise for a few hours. After rising, the dough is punched down and shaped into a thin round, then it is topped with the ingredients and baked in a wood-fired oven at a high temperature for just a few minutes.

Variations

While the original Pizza Margherita is made with a few simple ingredients, there are variations of the pizza that include additional toppings such as garlic, oregano, or grated Parmesan cheese.

See also

• History of pizza
• Italian cuisine
• List of pizza varieties by country