Mozzarella Recipe

Bloom the yeast

In a small bowl combine warm water (1.5 cups) and sugar or honey (0.5 tsp). Sprinkle the active dry yeast (1 tsp) on top and let sit 5–7 minutes until foamy.

Mix and knead

In a large mixing bowl whisk the flour (3.5 cups) with salt (2 tsp). Make a well, pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil (1 tbs). Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. (Alternatively use a stand mixer with dough hook on medium-low for 6–8 minutes.)

First rise

Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough ball inside, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm draft-free spot until doubled, about 1–1.5 hours depending on temperature.

Divide and rest

Punch down the dough, divide into two equal pieces. Shape each into a tight ball, place on a floured tray, cover and let rest 20–30 minutes to relax the gluten before stretching.

Combine the crushed San Marzano tomatoes (14 oz) with olive oil (1 tsp), minced garlic (1 clove, optional), dried oregano (0.5 tsp), salt (0.5 tsp) and black pepper (0.25 tsp) in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Do not overcook – for a bright fresh pizza sauce keep it raw or simmer 5–10 minutes to meld flavors and cool before using.

Preheat wood-fired oven

If using a wood-fired oven, heat until the floor is about 700–900°F (370–480°C) for classic blistered crust. If you don’t have a wood-fired oven, preheat a pizza stone in a domestic oven at the highest temperature for at least 45 minutes (500–550°F / 260–290°C).

Stretch the dough

On a well-floured surface, gently press one dough ball from center outward to form a 12-inch disk with a slightly thicker rim. Avoid overworking to keep airy crust. Leave some flour on the peel or transfer surface to prevent sticking.

Assemble the pizza

Lightly spoon 1/2 of the tomato sauce onto the stretched dough, leaving a 1/2–1 inch border for the crust. Tear the fresh mozzarella (10 oz divided between two pies) into bite-size pieces or slice into 1/4-inch rounds and distribute evenly over the sauce. Scatter 5 basil leaves per pizza (reserve some for finishing if desired). Drizzle each pie with a light teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle a pinch (about 1/8–1/4 tsp) of coarse sea salt. Add red pepper flakes if using.

Bake

Transfer the pizza to the oven on a peel or onto the preheated stone. In a wood-fired oven bake 90 seconds to 3 minutes, rotating as needed until crust is blistered and charred in spots and cheese is melted and bubbling. In a home oven at highest heat bake 6–10 minutes until crust is golden and cheese bubbling; you may need to broil 30–60 seconds at the end for extra char on the top.

Finish and serve

Remove pizza from oven, scatter remaining fresh basil leaves if any, drizzle with a little more olive oil (about 1/2 tsp per pie if desired) and finish with a light pinch of finishing salt. Let rest 1–2 minutes, slice and serve immediately.