The beauty of a Margherita lies in its simplicity. With just a few high-quality ingredients—fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, fragrant basil, and a touch of olive oil—it’s the perfect example of "less is more." When baked in a hot pizza oven like the Jackie, the crust gets a nice crisp on the outside, while the center stays soft, and the cheese melts perfectly. Once you’ve nailed the Margherita, you’ve set yourself up with a strong pizzaiolo foundation. It’s a perfect "test pizza" to master dough, sauce, and baking technique.
Choose and prepare your ingredients carefully: tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes or whole canned tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil.
- Tear the mozzarella into 5-6 pieces and let them drain on a kitchen towel or in a sieve at least an hour before assembling your pizza.
- Heat up your Jackie stove for 25 to 35 minutes.
- Just crush the canned tomatoes by hand. When using fresh tomatoes, blanch them in boiling water for 60 seconds, then transfer them to ice water to loosen the skins. Peel off the skins and cut the tomatoes in pieces. Use a blender for a smooth sauce, or crush the peeled tomatoes by hand for a rustic texture - no further cooking necessary. Add a pinch of salt.
- Once Jackie’s oven reaches a temperature of 250°C-300°C, it’s time to stretch the dough and top the pizza. Be careful not to do this too early, as the dough might stick to your countertop, even with semola flour to prevent it.
- Pour two spoonfuls of tomato sauce into the center of the dough and spread it evenly in a spiral motion. Then, sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the tomato sauce.
- Take your pizza peel and ensure it’s dry. Slide it gently under the pizza dough and check if the dough sticks. If it does, sprinkle a little more semola flour underneath.
- Carefully slide your pizza into Jackie’s pizza oven and bake it for 2-3 minutes.
- Finish it off with fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, and... enjoy every bite!
