The humble pizza has a long, storied history. While the word “pizza” itself was first coined in the 10th century, when it may have referred to flatbreads such as pitas, the modern pizza — a round, flat, baked crust slathered with tomato sauce, cheese, and other toppings — was invented in Naples in the 19th century and was at first, believe it or not, a sweet dish. Today, few things in life are quite so perfect as a slice of hot, oven-fresh pizza. And while delivery — or frozen — is sometimes the way to go (no judgment here!), learning to make your own pizza from scratch is a small time investment with a huge payoff.
Making pizza from scratch might seem like a daunting task, but it’s much more approachable than you might think. Our recipe for Margherita pizza — a heavenly combo of basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese — is a twist on a classic, adding spicy fire hybrid peppers to the sauce, but you can omit them for a more traditional pie. And we’ve made it even more approachable by recommending pre-made pizza dough, which is available at most major grocery stores or specialty food retailers. Buon appetito!
For the sauce: