Margherita with Cherry Tomatoes
Today’s variation on the beloved Margherita features hand-crushed cherry tomatoes, adding a fresh, vibrant twist to this timeless favourite.
This pizza starts with a base of rich, Neapolitan-style tomato sauce, layered with a combination of fresh mozzarella, low-moisture mozzarella, and Grana Padano for the perfect balance of creaminess, firmness, and stretch. Hand-crushed cherry tomatoes are scattered over the top, releasing their natural juices and enhancing the sauce with bright, tangy sweetness. Crushing the cherry tomatoes by hand before adding them to the pizza helps remove excess moisture, creating a deeper, more intense flavour with heightened umami and sweetness as they caramelise and concentrate in the heat of the pizza oven.
A sprinkle of dried oregano enhances the herbal notes while adding colour and aroma. A final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) before baking ties everything together, enhancing the flavours of the toppings and contributing to a richer texture.
Margherita Pizza with Cherry Tomatoes
Equipment
- Outdoor Pizza Oven, Pizza Steel, or Stone (if using a home oven)
- 1 Pizza Peel
- 1 Sauce ladle
- 1 wooden chopping board or peel for prep and serving
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough ball
- 1 ladle of pizza sauce
- Fresh mozzarella cheese
- Low moisture mozzarella cheese
- Grana Padano cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 6 – 8 cherry tomatoes
- Dried oregano
Instructions
- Prepare Dough: Follow any of our dough recipes. You will need to prepare the dough at least 24 hours ahead of time.
- Prepare Sauce: We recommend our standard pizza sauce which is versatile, simple to make and is perfect for Neapolitan style pizzas. Spice up this sauce however you like, remember the best part about making pizza is the creative process!
- Prepare Cheese: Place your fresh mozzarella in a container or bowl with a paper towel at the bottom to allow some of the water to drain. Tear both the fresh mozzarella and low moisture mozzarella cheeses into medium-sized pieces. Finely grate grana padano. Set aside.
- Prepare Cherry Tomatoes: Gently crush each tomato over a bowl to release excess juices while preserving some texture. Set aside.
- Preheat Oven:If using an outdoor pizza like an Ooni pizza oven, aim for a temperature of 450-500°C at the center of your pizza stone. Use an infrared thermometer to ensure accuracy. It should take around 25-30 minutes to reach temperature.For a home oven, using a pizza steel or stone, place the stone or steel inside the oven and preheat to the highest temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare Base: On a lightly floured surface, stretch out the dough by hand according to the steps outlined in our dough recipe. Once you're happy with the shape of the base, lightly dust your pizza peel and transfer the dough onto the peel.
- Assemble Pizza: Assemble the pizza by spreading a ladle of sauce in a circular motion, starting from the center and working outwards. Add a generous sprinkle of grana padano cheese, distribute pieces of mozzarella cheeses evenly across the dough, ensuring the pieces are about 2 cm in diameter and at least 1.5 cm apart. Next add your hand crushed cherry tomatoes. Finish with a sprinkle of dried oregano and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- Bake Your Pizza:If you're using an outdoor pizza oven, launch the pizza into the oven and bake for 60-90 seconds. Keep an eye on the pie and rotate every 10-15 seconds to ensure even cooking and to avoid burning.For a home oven with a pizza steel or stone, the bake time should be around 7-10 minutes.
- Serving: Once done, remove the pizza from the oven and place it on a serving board. Leave to cool slightly before slicing. Now it’s time to enjoy your homemade margherita pizza with hand-crushed cherry tomatoes!
