243 minutes•Medium•Serves 4
Classic Coal-Fired Margherita Pizza
New York's iconic coal-fired Margherita pizza—a perfect harmony of charred crust, tangy San Marzano tomatoes, and creamy mozzarella that defined American pizza culture. This recipe recreates the legendary pizzeria experience at home.
Recipe Rating
Not yet rated by chefs
Ingredients
- ●500g (4 cups) bread flour
- ●325ml (1⅓ cups) lukewarm water
- ●10g (2 tsp) fine sea salt
- ●7g (1 packet) active dry yeast
- ●15ml (1 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
- ●5g (1 tsp) sugar
- ●400g (14 oz) can San Marzano tomatoes
- ●2 cloves garlic
- ●15ml (1 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
- ●5g (1 tsp) sea salt
- ●handful fresh basil leaves
- ●pinch sugar
- ●225g (8 oz) fresh mozzarella
- ●handful fresh basil leaves
- ●for drizzling extra virgin olive oil
- ●to taste sea salt
- ●to taste black pepper
Instructions
- 1Make the Dough (2 hours before): In a large bowl, combine lukewarm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
- 2Add flour, salt, and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- 3Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky.
- 4Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 1.5-2 hours until doubled.
- 5Prepare the Sauce (15 minutes): Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 6Add hand-crushed tomatoes, salt, and sugar. Simmer 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- 7Tear in a few basil leaves and remove from heat. Let cool. The sauce should be chunky and rustic.
- 8Assemble and Bake: Preheat your oven to its maximum temperature (500-550°F). If you have a pizza stone or steel, place it in the oven to heat for at least 30 minutes.
- 9Divide dough into 4 equal portions. On a floured surface, stretch each portion into a 10-12 inch round. Don't use a rolling pin—use your hands to preserve air bubbles in the crust.
- 10Transfer to a piece of parchment paper. Spread 3-4 tablespoons of sauce in the center, leaving a 1-inch border.
- 11Distribute torn mozzarella pieces evenly. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- 12Slide the pizza (with parchment) onto the preheated stone. Bake 8-10 minutes until crust is charred in spots and cheese is bubbly.
- 13Remove, top with fresh basil leaves, drizzle with olive oil, and let rest 2 minutes before slicing.
Recipe details
- Cuisine
- Italian-American
- Category
- Main course
- Preparation
- 101 minutes
- Cooking
- 81 minutes
Estimated total: 243 minutes. Planning estimate: stated duration ranges use their midpoint; standard preparation, heating and handling allowances are included. Overlapping tasks are counted once. Resting/chilling is included in total time.
How these estimates were calculated
- Prepare dough ingredients: 15 min planning allowance (dough_prep)
- Prepare garlic and basil for sauce: 10 min planning allowance (vegetable_prep)
- Prepare mozzarella, basil for topping, and seasonings: 5 min planning allowance (simple_prep)
- Combine water, yeast, and sugar: 3 min planning allowance (mix)
- Add flour, salt, and olive oil; mix into shaggy dough: 3 min planning allowance (mix)
- Transfer dough to oiled bowl and cover: 2 min planning allowance (transfer)
- Heat olive oil in saucepan: 3 min planning allowance (pan_preheat)
- Add tomatoes, salt, and sugar to saucepan: 3 min planning allowance (mix)
- Tear in basil leaves and remove sauce from heat: 3 min planning allowance (mix)
- Let sauce cool: 30 min planning allowance (cool)
- Divide dough into 4 portions: 5 min planning allowance (simple_prep)
- Stretch dough into 10-12 inch rounds: 15 min planning allowance (shape)
- Transfer dough to parchment paper: 2 min planning allowance (transfer)
- Spread sauce on dough: 5 min planning allowance (assemble)
- Distribute mozzarella, drizzle with oil, season: 5 min planning allowance (assemble)
- Remove pizza from oven: 2 min planning allowance (transfer)
- Top with fresh basil, drizzle with oil: 2 min planning allowance (garnish)
- Reviewed one-pizza stone capacity: four pizzas baked serially; measured bake range uses 9 minutes per pizza. Four removal and finishing operations are counted. Existing remaining planning allowances retained.
- 4 portions
- 4 portions
- 4 portions
- 4 portions
- 4 batches
- 4 batches
- 4 batches
- Last pizza rests for the stated 2 minutes; earlier pizzas rest while later batches bake.
- Matched to enriched bread flour.
- lukewarm water: USDA liter portion weight
- Matched to tap drinking water. Quantity 325ml (1⅓ cups) corresponds to 315.45g, which is 0.31545 liters.
- Fine sea salt is nutritionally equivalent to table salt.
- extra virgin olive oil: USDA tablespoon portion weight
- Matched to olive oil, salad or cooking. 15ml is equivalent to 1 tbsp.
- Matched to granulated sugar. 5g is equivalent to 1 tsp.
- San Marzano tomatoes: Stated package net weight
- Matched to crushed tomatoes. San Marzano tomatoes are a variety of crushed tomatoes.
- garlic: USDA clove portion weight
- Matched to raw garlic. 2 cloves are assumed to be 2 medium cloves.
- extra virgin olive oil: USDA tablespoon portion weight
- Matched to olive oil, salad or cooking. 15ml is equivalent to 1 tbsp.
- Sea salt is nutritionally equivalent to table salt.
- fresh basil leaves: USDA cup leaves, whole portion weight
- Recipe Studio chosen allowance: one basil handful = 1/4 cup loose leaves; estimate, not a measured amount or universal conversion.
- sugar: USDA tsp portion weight
- Recipe Studio chosen allowance: sugar pinch = 1/16 tsp for the recipe; first alternative sugar, not mirin; estimate, not a measured amount.
- Generic USDA whole-milk mozzarella reference; fresh brand moisture varies.
- fresh basil leaves: USDA cup leaves, whole portion weight
- Recipe Studio chosen allowance: one basil handful = 1/4 cup loose leaves; estimate, not a measured amount or universal conversion.
- extra virgin olive oil: USDA tsp portion weight
- Recipe Studio chosen allowance: drizzle = 1 tsp per serving per listed row, total across that row’s uses; estimate, not a measured amount or universal conversion.
- Unweighed sea salt: only documented zero nutrients included
- black pepper: USDA tsp, ground portion weight
- black pepper: Seasoning allowance: 1/4 tsp per 4 servings
- USDA black pepper; documented seasoning allowance applies only to to-taste/pinch amounts.
- Additional dusting bread flour: USDA cup portion weight
- Olive oil for the bowl: USDA tsp portion weight
- fresh basil leaves: original amount “handful”; interpreted as “0.25 cup”. Recipe Studio chosen allowance: one basil handful = 1/4 cup loose leaves; estimate, not a measured amount or universal conversion.
- sugar: original amount “pinch”; interpreted as “0.0625 tsp”. Recipe Studio chosen allowance: sugar pinch = 1/16 tsp for the recipe; first alternative sugar, not mirin; estimate, not a measured amount.
- fresh basil leaves: original amount “handful”; interpreted as “0.25 cup”. Recipe Studio chosen allowance: one basil handful = 1/4 cup loose leaves; estimate, not a measured amount or universal conversion.
- extra virgin olive oil: original amount “for drizzling”; interpreted as “4 tsp”. Recipe Studio chosen allowance: drizzle = 1 tsp per serving per listed row, total across that row’s uses; estimate, not a measured amount or universal conversion.
- Recipe Studio chosen preparation allowance: plain wheat dough dusting = 1 tbsp flour per 250 g measured dough flour, once for the entire recipe across all surface uses. Counts the full chosen amount before preparation losses; estimate, not measured consumption or a retention factor.
- Recipe Studio chosen preparation allowance: lightly oiling one rising bowl for a 250–500 g flour yeasted dough = 1 tsp for the entire batch. Counts the full chosen amount before preparation losses; estimate, not measured consumption or a retention factor.
- bread flour: 500 g · USDA reference 168896
- lukewarm water: 325 g · USDA reference 173647
- fine sea salt: 10 g · USDA reference 173468
- active dry yeast: 7 g · USDA reference 175043
- extra virgin olive oil: 13.69 g · USDA reference 171413
- sugar: 5 g · USDA reference 169655
- San Marzano tomatoes: 400 g · USDA reference 170501
- garlic: 6 g · USDA reference 169230
- extra virgin olive oil: 13.69 g · USDA reference 171413
- sea salt: 5 g · USDA reference 173468
- fresh basil leaves: 6 g · USDA reference 172232
- sugar: 0.26 g · USDA reference 169655
- fresh mozzarella: 225 g · USDA reference 170845
- fresh basil leaves: 6 g · USDA reference 172232
- extra virgin olive oil: 18 g · USDA reference 171413
- sea salt: documented zero nutrients only · USDA reference 173468
- black pepper: 0.57 g · USDA reference 170931
- Additional dusting bread flour: 17.13 g · USDA reference 168896
- Olive oil for the bowl: 4.5 g · USDA reference 171413
Margherita pizza · coal-fired · San Marzano tomatoes · mozzarella
Estimated nutrition per serving
791 calories · 30.6 g protein · 105.1 g carbohydrate · 27.5 g fat · 5.6 g fiber
Source and basis: USDA FoodData Central and reviewed product references; ingredient-based calculation per serving. Documented USDA or manufacturer portion weights; all listed ingredient mass included before cooking losses. Nutrients with incomplete inputs omitted. Full ingredient matches and assumptions below.
Featured in: Around the World in 80 Meals
Our culinary journey begins in New York City with the iconic coal-fired Margherita pizza—a perfect harmony of charred crust, tangy San Marzano tomatoes, and creamy mozzarella that defined American pizza culture.
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