210 min
No-Knead Tomato, Olive & Red Onion Focaccia
A deeply dimpled, olive-oil-rich focaccia with crisp edges, a tender open crumb, sweet tomatoes, briny black olives and ribbons of red onion.
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Homemade Margherita Pizza with No-Cook Tomato Sauce
A blistered, crisp-chewy crust carries bright crushed tomato, milky mozzarella, fresh basil and olive oil in a focused homemade pizza built for a very hot oven.
Directions
Temper the dough and heat the oven
Set the dough in a lightly oiled covered bowl at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes so it stretches without snapping back. Place an inverted heavy rimmed sheet pan on the upper-middle rack and heat the oven to 500°F for at least 45 minutes; the pan must be thoroughly hot before the pizza goes in.
Dry the mozzarella
Tear the mozzarella into 3/4-inch pieces, spread it on clean towels and blot firmly. Leave it uncovered while the dough warms. Removing surface whey keeps the center of the pizza from becoming watery.
Mix the no-cook tomato sauce
Stir the drained crushed tomatoes, garlic, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes if using and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl. Keep the sauce uncooked and slightly textured; it will concentrate in the oven.
Shape without crushing the rim
Dust the dough and work surface lightly with flour. Press from the center outward, leaving a 3/4-inch border untouched, then lift and gently stretch the dough into a 12-inch round. If it resists, cover and rest it for 10 minutes before continuing.
Build the pizza sparingly
Set the dough on a 13-inch square of parchment dusted with semolina. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in a thin spiral, leaving the raised border bare. Scatter the dry mozzarella and Parmesan evenly, then tear over half the basil. Reserve the remaining sauce for another pizza or refrigerate it for up to 4 days.
Transfer to the hot pan
Slide the parchment and pizza onto the preheated inverted sheet pan, using a second cool sheet pan as a peel. Work carefully and keep hands clear of the 500°F metal. Close the oven immediately.
Bake until blistered
Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, rotating once after 6 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden with dark blisters, the underside is crisp and the cheese bubbles in browned spots. If the top needs more color, broil for 30 to 60 seconds while watching continuously.
Finish and rest
Transfer the pizza to a cutting board, drizzle with the remaining tablespoon olive oil and scatter over the reserved basil and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Rest for 3 minutes so the cheese settles, then cut into 8 wedges and serve hot.
Why this works
Why it worksA long preheat stores enough heat in the inverted sheet pan to set and brown the underside before the toppings can flood the crust with moisture.
Why it worksDraining both tomatoes and fresh mozzarella controls water while preserving the fresh dairy-and-tomato character that defines Margherita pizza.
Why it worksLeaving the outer rim untouched traps gas from the fermented dough, producing a crisp-chewy, blistered border without special stretching tricks.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on AmazonHeavy half-sheet panPreheating a sturdy inverted pan gives the pizza a broad, intensely hot surface for a crisper underside.See current options →
Compare on AmazonHeat-safe oven mittsSecure hand protection matters when transferring the pizza around a sheet pan held at 500°F.See current options →
Compare on AmazonDigital kitchen scaleWeighing the dough and cheese keeps the topping ratio balanced and the center from becoming overloaded.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- A preheated pizza steel or stone can replace the inverted sheet pan. Follow its heat limit and slide the parchment directly onto the surface.
- Use 6 oz low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella for a drier, stretchier cheese layer; shred it coarsely and distribute it evenly.
- For a dairy-free pizza, use a meltable plant-based mozzarella and omit the Parmesan. Check the dough label if strict vegan preparation matters.
Cook notes
- Do not use all of the sauce simply to avoid leftovers. A restrained 1/2 cup prevents a soggy center and keeps the crust and cheese in balance.
- Parchment rated to 450°F can darken at 500°F. Trim it close to the dough, keep it away from exposed heating elements and use a 500°F-rated sheet if available.
- Fresh basil added before baking softens into the cheese; the second fresh addition supplies the vivid aroma and green finish visible on the finished pizza.
Storage
Cool leftover slices within 2 hours and refrigerate in a shallow airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat on a preheated sheet pan at 425°F for 6 to 8 minutes, until the center is steaming and reaches 165°F. Freeze individually wrapped baked slices for up to 1 month and reheat from frozen at 400°F for 10 to 14 minutes.
Questions
Why did my pizza dough keep shrinking while I stretched it?
The dough was still cold or its gluten was tense. Cover it and rest for 10 minutes, then continue gently. Bringing refrigerated dough to room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes prevents most snap-back.
How can I prevent a wet center with fresh mozzarella?
Drain and blot the cheese thoroughly, drain the tomatoes, and use only 1/2 cup sauce. Tear mozzarella into small pieces with space between them so moisture can evaporate in the hot oven.
Can I make this without a pizza stone or steel?
Yes. A heavy rimmed sheet pan heated upside down for at least 45 minutes creates a broad, hot surface and avoids the raised rim that makes transferring a pizza difficult.
Bread-making techniques
Choose a homemade bread project by technique
Compare hand-stretched pizza, high-hydration no-knead focaccia, quick soda bread and an enriched cheese-filled bread boat by leavening, shaping and total time.
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Homemade Margherita Pizza with No-Cook Tomato Sauce
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1. Temper the dough and heat the ovenSet the dough in a lightly oiled covered bowl at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes so it stretches without snapping back. Place an inverted heavy rimmed sheet pan on the upper-middle rack and heat the oven to 500°F for at least 45 minutes; the pan must be thoroughly hot before the pizza goes in.
2. Dry the mozzarellaTear the mozzarella into 3/4-inch pieces, spread it on clean towels and blot firmly. Leave it uncovered while the dough warms. Removing surface whey keeps the center of the pizza from becoming watery.
3. Mix the no-cook tomato sauceStir the drained crushed tomatoes, garlic, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes if using and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl. Keep the sauce uncooked and slightly textured; it will concentrate in the oven.
4. Shape without crushing the rimDust the dough and work surface lightly with flour. Press from the center outward, leaving a 3/4-inch border untouched, then lift and gently stretch the dough into a 12-inch round. If it resists, cover and rest it for 10 minutes before continuing.
5. Build the pizza sparinglySet the dough on a 13-inch square of parchment dusted with semolina. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in a thin spiral, leaving the raised border bare. Scatter the dry mozzarella and Parmesan evenly, then tear over half the basil. Reserve the remaining sauce for another pizza or refrigerate it for up to 4 days.
6. Transfer to the hot panSlide the parchment and pizza onto the preheated inverted sheet pan, using a second cool sheet pan as a peel. Work carefully and keep hands clear of the 500°F metal. Close the oven immediately.
7. Bake until blisteredBake for 8 to 11 minutes, rotating once after 6 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden with dark blisters, the underside is crisp and the cheese bubbles in browned spots. If the top needs more color, broil for 30 to 60 seconds while watching continuously.
8. Finish and restTransfer the pizza to a cutting board, drizzle with the remaining tablespoon olive oil and scatter over the reserved basil and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Rest for 3 minutes so the cheese settles, then cut into 8 wedges and serve hot.