Crispy Blistered Fresh Mozzarella Basil Pizza Italiana

This pizza italiana comes together in about 35 minutes, from a quick yeasted dough to a blistered, golden crust. You knead, stretch, and top it, then let a very hot stone do the rest.

Why This Recipe Works

• Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water first: Water at 95°F (35°C) is warm enough to wake the yeast without harming it. Water much hotter than that can kill it before the dough even starts.
• Knead until the gluten structure springs back: The 00 flour builds elastic strands as you work it. When the dough springs back after a poke, it is ready to rest and stretch.
• Drain mozzarella to prevent a soggy centre: Fresh mozzarella holds a lot of whey. Tearing it and draining it first keeps the middle from weeping into the sauce.
• Hand-crushed tomatoes keep a thin, even sauce: Crushing the San Marzano by hand leaves chunks that cling to the dough instead of running off. A thin layer keeps the flavour bright and lets the base cook through.

Ingredients You'll Need

00 Pizza Flour: This finely milled Italian flour gives the dough its soft, stretchy body and a tender, blistered bite. It makes up most of the dough, so it matters most. No 00? Use all-purpose flour, though the crust will be a little chewier.

Lukewarm Water: This liquid wakes the yeast and pulls the flour into a dough. Aim for 95°F (35°C), warm enough to activate the yeast without harming it. Substitute: clean water at the same temperature, never hot tap water.

Fine Sea Salt: Salt tightens the gluten and gives the crust its flavour. Fine sea salt dissolves quickly into the dough. Substitute: fine table salt by the same weight, since coarse salt won't dissolve evenly.

Instant Dry Yeast: These small granules make the dough rise, and you only need about ¾ teaspoon. Whisk them into the water first so they wake up evenly. Substitute: active dry yeast in the same amount, bloomed in the water for 5 to 10 minutes first.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Olive oil makes the dough smooth, supple, and easier to stretch thin. Its fruity flavour carries into the crust. Substitute: a mild, light olive oil, which gives a softer, less peppery edge.

Canned Whole Peeled San Marzano Tomatoes: These sweet, low-acid tomatoes make a bright, vivid sauce. Crushing them by hand leaves chunks that cling to the dough instead of running off. Substitute: any canned whole peeled plum tomatoes, crushed the same way.

Fresh Mozzarella: This soft, milky cheese melts into creamy pools across the pizza. Drain and tear it first so the centre stays dry. Substitute: low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, torn into pieces, for a firmer and less creamy melt.

Fresh Basil Leaves: These fragrant green leaves lie flat on the sauce and add a fresh, peppery lift against the rich cheese. Scatter them over the sauce with the mozzarella. Substitute: fresh oregano leaves in the same amount, for a more herbal, earthy note.

How to Make It (Step by Step)

Yeasted dough gets kneaded, stretched thin, and topped with crushed tomatoes and mozzarella before a scorching stone takes over. Yes, the dough can be stubborn, but a few patient stretches will win it over.

1. Whisk the 2 g instant yeast into the 325 ml lukewarm water (95°F / 35°C) in a large bowl until dissolved and faintly cloudy, 30-60 seconds at room temperature (70°F / 21°C).

2. Stir the 500 g "00" pizza flour and 10 g fine sea salt into the yeast water with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, 1-2 minutes at room temperature (70°F / 21°C). Keep stirring until the bowl is clean.

3. Add the 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth, elastic, and springy when poked, 8-10 minutes at room temperature (70°F / 21°C).

4. Stretch the dough by hand into a thin round until the centre is thin and the rim stays slightly puffed, 3-5 minutes at room temperature (70°F / 21°C).

5. Crush the 400 g canned whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes by hand in a bowl until chunky and spreadable, 2-3 minutes at room temperature (70°F / 21°C).

6. Spread the crushed tomatoes over the dough in a thin layer, leaving a border around the edge, until the surface is evenly bright red, 1-2 minutes at room temperature (70°F / 21°C).

7. Scatter the 250 g torn fresh mozzarella and 8 basil leaves over the sauce until the cheese is evenly spread and the leaves lie flat, 1 minute at room temperature (70°F / 21°C).

8. Slide the pizza onto a pizza stone preheated for 45 minutes at 500°F / 260°C and bake until the crust is blistered and golden-brown with bubbling cheese, 8-10 minutes at 500°F / 260°C.

Recipe Notes

• Storage: Keep leftover pizza in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Wrapped tight, baked slices freeze well for about a month. To reheat, slide them onto a hot stone or skillet at 450°F for 5 to 7 minutes until crisp again.

• Key substitution: No "00" flour? Use the same weight of bread flour. The dough turns a little chewier and less silky, but it still blisters beautifully.

• Make-ahead tip: Tear and drain the mozzarella up to 4 hours ahead. Keep it chilled on a paper-towel-lined plate, then pat it dry again before topping. Crushed tomatoes can wait a day in the fridge.

• Common mistake: Rushing the stone. Give it the full 45 minutes at 500°F, or the base will bake pale and limp. That patient wait is where the blistered, loud crust comes from.

Serving size: 1 portion · Calories: 640 · Total Fat: 22g · Saturated Fat: 9g · Carbs: 85g · Fiber: 5g · Sugar: 6g · Protein: 28g · Sodium: 1150mg

Tips and Tricks

• Equipment: Use a preheated pizza stone: A thick stone stores heat and pushes it up into the base. The bottom crisps while the cheese bubbles. A baking sheet just can't match that blast.

• Temperature precision: Hold the oven at 500°F (260°C): Keep the oven at full heat for the whole 8-10 minute bake. Opening the door early drops the temperature fast, and the crust turns pale.
• Common mistake: Rolling the dough with a pin: A rolling pin squeezes out the air pockets you built. Stretch the dough by hand instead, so the rim stays puffed and airy.
• Flavour upgrade: Finish with olive oil and flaky salt: Once the pizza comes out, drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil and add a pinch of flaky sea salt. It adds a bright, savoury finish.
• Texture tip: Keep the rim high and unpressed: Leave the outer edge free of sauce and cheese. That raised border blisters and turns golden, giving you a crisp, airy bite.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this pizza dairy-free without fresh mozzarella?

Swap the 250 g fresh mozzarella for 250 g of vegan mozzarella shreds or cashew-based mozzarella, and pat it dry the same way you would drain the dairy version. Melt and stretch vary by brand, so expect a slightly softer, less stretchy topping.

Can I make the pizza dough a day ahead and refrigerate it?

Yes, after kneading, oil a bowl, cover the dough, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before stretching so it relaxes and stretches without tearing.

Why does my dough keep snapping back when I stretch it?

Stop and let it sit for 5 minutes, then stretch again from the centre with your fingertips, not the rim. Look for a thin middle with a puffed edge that holds its shape without snapping back.

What to Serve With This Pizza

• Lemon Arugula Salad: Peppery greens dressed in lemon juice and olive oil cut through the rich, salty cheese.
• Whipped Ricotta Crostini: Cool, creamy ricotta on toasted bread softens the crunch of the blistered crust.
• Marinated Olives: Briny, tangy olives add a sharp salty pop that brightens every slice.
• Cucumber Salad with Red Wine Vinegar: Cold, crisp cucumber slices and sharp vinegar refresh your palate between bites.