Homemade Italian Balsamic Pizza Margherita

A simple and truly Italian homemade pizza margherita topped with tomatoes mozzarella, basil, and our delicious sweet and syrupy aged Gold Label Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.

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Time: 1 hr 30 mins Level: More challenging Serves: 6

Pairs Perfectly With

Gold Label Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

350g plain flour

Yeast (or 2 1/4 tsps)

2 tbsp olive oil

1–2 tbsp Honey or organic sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup very warm water (49-55ºC)

Pizza crust

recipe below or store bought

Passata tomatoes

230g Mozzarella ball with water drained (shredded will also work)

Handful of fresh basil leaves

Salt and pepper

Olive Oil for drizzling

Balsamic drizzled across the top of the pizza

Step 1.

For the crust, use rising yeast to cut the rising time down.

Step 2.

Place 1 cup of flour, yeast, oil, honey and salt into a large mixing bowl. Slowly add warm water and begin mixing with an electric mixer or wooden spoon.

Step 3.

Beat until the mixture is smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Begin adding additional flour 1/2 cup at a time until it forms a soft dough.

Step 4.

Place dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes or until dough is soft and smooth. Be careful not to add too much flour or the crust will be hard. Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rest in a warm place for 15 minutes.

Step 5.

*Tip: If your kitchen is cool, you can turn on your oven to the lowest setting for 1-2 minutes and then turn off. Oven should be warm but not too hot to touch. Place bowl inside of the warm oven to rise. Alternatively, you can place a pan of boiling water in the bottom of your oven (turned off) and close the oven door. The steam and moisture will also be a good environment for the dough to rise.

Step 6.

Preheat oven to 230ºC. Place dough onto a lightly greased pizza pan or cookie sheet and gently stretch it out to about 30-35cm, but be careful not to overwork the dough. The size will determine how thick or thin the crust is—smaller pizza for thicker crust, spread it out larger for thinner crust. If you get a hole in the crust when stretching it out, just pinch the dough back together.

Step 7.

Place a few spoonfuls of passata sauce onto the dough and spread it over the crust. You may not need all of it. Top with slices or torn chunks of mozzarella. It’s okay if there is sauce showing. Sprinkle the top with salt, freshly cracked pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Step 8.

Place pan into the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes (time will vary depending on how thick the dough is) until the Mozzarella is melted and crust is golden brown.