Headnote

This pizza is built on restraint: a supple wheat dough, a clean tomato base, and a brief, high-heat bake that preserves the freshness of the toppings. The mushrooms bring depth, the cherry tomatoes bring brightness, and the mozzarella binds the whole with measured richness. It should emerge light at the center, blistered at the rim, and fragrant with basil and olive oil.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Pizza

Cuisine or origin: Italian, Neapolitan-style

Course type: Main course

Yield: 1 pizza

Serving size: 590 g

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Difficulty: Intermediate

Equipment

Mixing bowl

Digital scale

Bench scraper

30 cm pizza tray or pizza peel

Oven

Baking stone or steel, if available

Small saucepan

Rolling not required

Ingredients

Dough

Wheat flour, 300 g

Water, 180 g

Yeast, 2 g

Salt, 6 g

Olive oil, 8 g

Topping

Tomato sauce, 90 g

Mozzarella cheese, 110 g

Mushroom, 45 g, thinly sliced

Cherry tomato, 40 g, halved

Basil, 3 g

Oregano, 1 g

Black pepper, 1 g

Olive oil, 4 g

Method

1. Combine the wheat flour, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the water and mix until a rough dough forms, then add the olive oil and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. The dough should stretch without tearing and feel supple under the hand.

2. Cover the dough and rest it at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until visibly expanded and relaxed. It should hold a soft dome and feel airy when pressed lightly.

3. Heat the oven to 250°C with a baking stone or steel inside for at least 30 minutes. The surface must be fully saturated with heat so the base sets quickly and the rim rises cleanly.

4. Place the mushrooms and cherry tomatoes in a small bowl. Season with the oregano and black pepper, and toss with 2 g of the olive oil. Set aside briefly so the seasoning adheres without drawing excess moisture.

5. Shape the dough into a 30 cm round on a lightly floured surface, keeping the rim slightly thicker than the center. Transfer to a tray or peel. The dough should remain extensible, not compressed.

6. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the center, leaving a narrow border clean. Distribute the mozzarella over the sauce, then arrange the mushrooms and cherry tomatoes evenly across the surface. Finish with the remaining olive oil.

7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the crust is blistered and deeply golden at the edges, the base is firm, and the mozzarella is melted with a few pale spots of color. The tomatoes should soften but remain distinct, and the mushrooms should be tender without collapsing.

8. Remove the pizza from the oven and scatter the basil over the surface immediately. Let it stand for 1 minute before slicing so the cheese settles and the crust remains crisp.

Plating and serving

Transfer the pizza to a board or flat plate and cut into clean wedges. Serve at once, with the basil still bright and the rim audibly crisp, the center supple but not wet.

Professional notes

Keep the dough soft; excess flour will tighten the crumb and dull the rim.

Do not overload the center with sauce or toppings. A Neapolitan-style pizza should bake quickly and remain balanced.

Add the basil only after baking so its aroma stays fresh and its color remains vivid.