Pizza Margherita

Homemade pizza margherita is one of the most cost-efficient complete meals in the Italian repertoire. The dough costs under €0.60 for four servings. The mozzarella represents approximately 65% of total ingredient cost. Everything else is pantry.

The recipe below produces two medium pizzas (4 servings). Active time is 30 minutes; the dough requires 4 hours of fermentation (unattended).

Ingredients (4 servings — 2 medium pizzas)

Dough:

• 500g Type 00 flour (farina 00)
• 7g fresh yeast (lievito di birra fresco)
• 300ml water (lukewarm)
• 10g salt

Topping:

• 400g canned peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 250g fior di latte mozzarella, drained and torn
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Make the dough Dissolve the fresh yeast in 100ml of the lukewarm water. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the yeast water and the remaining 200ml water gradually. Mix until a rough dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should pass the windowpane test — stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through without tearing.

Shape into a ball. Cover tightly and rest at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours (up to 24 hours — longer fermentation improves flavour).

2. Prepare the sauce Crush the canned tomatoes by hand. Season with salt and 1 tbsp olive oil. Do not cook the tomato — it finishes cooking in the oven.

3. Shape and top One hour before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Divide into 2 equal pieces. Rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Preheat the oven to maximum temperature (250°C+) with a baking stone or heavy tray inside.

Stretch each dough ball by hand on a lightly floured surface — do not use a rolling pin, which compresses the gas bubbles. Aim for approximately 28–30cm diameter.

Spread tomato sauce over each base, leaving a 2cm border. Drizzle with remaining olive oil.

4. Bake Bake at maximum temperature for 10–12 minutes, until the crust is golden and the edges are lightly charred. Add the torn mozzarella in the final 3 minutes of baking — early addition produces a rubbery texture.

5. Serve Serve immediately. Optional: fresh basil leaves added after baking.

Cost Context

At Italian supermarket prices (Q1 2025), the ingredient cost for 2 pizzas (4 servings) is approximately €4.60 — roughly €1.15 per serving. Mozzarella (€3.00 for 250g at €12.00/kg) represents 65% of total cost. Remove the mozzarella and you have pizza marinara at approximately €0.47 per serving.

The dough itself — flour, yeast, water, salt — costs under €0.60 regardless of topping. All scaling decisions for homemade pizza start from this base cost.

See Homemade Pizza vs Delivery for a cost comparison against ordering in, and the Recipe Cost Calculator to adjust for serving count.