Headnote

This pizza is built on restraint: a supple wheat dough, a bright tomato base, and the quiet depth of mushroom, garlic, and basil. The heat of the oven gives the crust its character, while the mozzarella melts into a clean, milky layer that binds the whole. It should taste direct, balanced, and unmistakably fresh.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Pizza

Cuisine or origin: Italian-inspired

Course type: Main course

Yield: 1 pizza

Serving size: 1 pizza, about 430 g

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 8 minutes

Total time: 2 hours 3 minutes

Difficulty: Intermediate

Equipment

Mixing bowl

Digital scale

Bench scraper

Rolling pin

Pizza peel

Pizza stone or baking steel

Oven capable of 290°C

Small saucepan

Fine grater

Ingredients

Dough

180 g wheat flour

4 g yeast

3 g salt

109 g water, lukewarm

Topping

70 g tomato sauce

60 g mozzarella, torn into small pieces

35 g mushroom, thinly sliced

25 g tomato, thinly sliced

6 g olive oil

1 g garlic, finely grated

1 g oregano

1 g basil, torn

Method

1. Combine the wheat flour, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the lukewarm water and mix until a rough dough forms with no dry flour remaining, about 2 minutes.

2. Knead the dough on a clean surface for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. The dough should feel supple and hold its shape without tearing.

3. Place the dough in a lightly covered bowl and let it rise at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until doubled in volume and airy to the touch.

4. Heat the oven with a pizza stone or baking steel in place to 290°C for at least 30 minutes. The surface must be fully saturated with heat.

5. In a small bowl, combine the tomato sauce with the grated garlic and oregano. Stir just enough to distribute evenly.

6. Stretch the dough into a round about 28 cm across, keeping the edge slightly thicker than the center. Transfer it to a lightly floured pizza peel.

7. Spread the tomato mixture in a thin, even layer over the dough, leaving a clean border of 1.5 cm. Distribute the mozzarella, then the mushroom and tomato slices. Finish with the olive oil.

8. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until the crust is deeply browned at the edges, the base is crisp, and the cheese is fully melted with light blistering.

9. Remove the pizza from the oven and let it stand for 1 minute. Scatter the basil over the surface just before serving.

Plating and serving

Transfer the pizza to a board or warm platter and cut into 4 to 6 even pieces. The crust should remain crisp at the rim, tender at the center, and lightly blistered beneath the toppings. Serve immediately while the cheese is fluid and the basil is fragrant.

Professional notes

Keep the tomato layer thin; excess sauce will weigh down the crust.

Slice the mushroom and tomato evenly so they cook at the same rate and remain distinct.

Add the basil only after baking to preserve its aroma and clean green character.