Double-Layer Margherita Pizza
An innovative twist on a Neapolitan classic, featuring a clever double layer of pizza dough baked with an inner pocket of melted cheese before being finished with fresh tomato sauce, basil, mozzarella strips, and parmesan.
The double-layer Margherita pizza reinvents traditional pizza construction by sandwiching a rich layer of shredded cheese between two stretched sheets of raw dough, with circular cutouts in the top layer that allow the cheese to bubble through as it bakes. Once blistered and puffed in a high-heat pizza oven, the golden crust is layered with vibrant tomato sauce, aromatic fresh basil, creamy strips of fresh mozzarella, and a generous grating of parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 pieces raw pizza dough balls
- 150 g shredded white cheese
- 100 ml tomato sauce
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- 150 g fresh mozzarella cheese
- 30 g parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1Cut holes in the pizza dough
Take a stretched piece of raw pizza dough and use scissors to carefully cut small circular holes evenly across its surface. These holes will allow the cheese placed underneath to melt through and bubble up during the baking process.
Tip: Space the holes out evenly so the cheese distributes nicely across the entire pizza. - 2Add shredded cheese to the base dough
Take a second stretched piece of raw pizza dough and place a generous handful of shredded white cheese evenly across its surface. This layer will serve as the delicious cheesy filling sandwiched between the two dough layers.
Tip: Make sure to cover the base evenly without piling too much in the very center. - 3Assemble the double-layer pizza
Carefully drape the hole-punched raw dough layer directly over the cheese-covered bottom dough layer, resting the assembled pizza on a metal pizza peel. The shredded cheese should peek nicely through the cutouts of the top layer.
Tip: Align the edges neatly so the two dough layers seal together properly at the crust. - 4Bake the pizza in a high-heat oven
Smoothly slide the raw assembled pizza off the metal pizza peel directly onto the hot stone inside a flaming pizza oven. The intense heat will quickly bake the crust and melt the inner cheese layer.
Tip: Give the peel a quick shake before launching to ensure the dough slides off easily. - 5Rotate the pizza for even cooking
Use the pizza peel to carefully rotate the partially cooked pizza inside the oven. This ensures the crust browns evenly on all sides as it puffs up under the high flame.
Tip: Keep a close eye on the crust since it bakes very quickly at high temperatures. - 6Add tomato sauce to the baked crust
Remove the fully baked and browned double-layer pizza from the oven and place it on a work surface. Use a spoon to spread bright red tomato sauce evenly across the top surface over the baked dough and cheese pockets.
Tip: Spread the sauce gently to avoid tearing the crisp, puffed crust. - 7Add the fresh basil
Distribute fresh green basil leaves evenly over the rich tomato sauce base to add aromatic flavor to the freshly baked crust.
Tip: Adding fresh basil after the crust has baked preserves its vibrant green color and delicate flavor. - 8Layer the mozzarella
Place strips of fresh mozzarella cheese evenly across the pizza on top of the warm tomato sauce and basil.
Tip: Using fresh mozzarella rather than low-moisture block cheese gives a creamy, authentic texture to the Margherita. - 9Grate the parmesan
Generously grate fresh parmesan cheese over the entire pizza. The residual heat from the baked double-layer crust will help soften the fresh cheeses.
Tip: Freshly grated parmesan provides a sharp, salty contrast to the creamy mozzarella strips.
