Pizza San Marzano
Pizza San Marzano is a pizza my Nonna used to make and my Mom still makes. This is a typical home-baked Italian pizza. It’s a comfort food staple.
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Pizza San Marzano Recipe:
Simple ingredients come together to create this wonderful tomato and cheese flavor profile pizza. This pizza instantly transports me back to my childhood helping both my Nonna and my Mom make this pizza at the kitchen table.
When making this pizza, you can decide how much time you want to spend making it. If you want a quick and easy version of this pizza, then purchasing a fresh pre-made dough ball from the supermarket or your favorite pizzeria is the way to go on a busy weeknight. You can also make the dough yourself in advance and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
This pizza comes together in no time when the dough is already made.
If you’re making the dough yourself, don’t be afraid to get your hands in the dough and enjoy the process. Get the kids involved and make it a family cooking event, just like my Nonna used to do with me.
Pizza nights at our house are dinner meals, but there is no wrong way to enjoy this pizza!
Let’s Talk Tomato:
San Marzano tomatoes are grown in Italy. They are grown in a specific region of Italy in volcanic soil. What makes these tomatoes so special is their sweetness.
In American supermarkets, you will find tomato cans labeled as San Marzano. However, when you look closer at the label they will say phrases like: San Marzano Style, or San’American Tomato. These are not the same tomatoes and the flavor profile is different. They are more of a Roma tomato.
A Roma tomato will still make a good sauce. But if you want the sweetness that is distinct too the San Marzano tomato, then you need to check that label carefully and make sure they are coming directly from Italy.
What if I can’t find San Marzano Tomato’s?
If your supermarket does not carry the San Marzano tomatoes, then by all means substitute it with a whole Roma tomato variety.
Let’s Talk Crispy Pizza Crust and Fat?
The crispiness of the pizza crust is an important factor for this pizza. There are 3 ways to achieve the crispy crust.
Option 1: Nonna’s Way – Nonna cooked with Lard. Her pizza crusts were so delish because she would grease her pans with lard. Her pizza crust had an extra savory flavor level because of that lard. THE BEST!!!!! Lard is a natural animal based fat. But if you are watching calories lard may not be the best option for you.
Option 2: Mom’s Way – Mom cooks with Crisco. Her pizza crusts are also equally delicious. Crisco creates that crispy buttery crust as well. But Crisco is made of hydrogenated vegetable oils. If you are watching your cholesterol and your calories, this is not the option for you.
Option 3: My way – I use parchment paper when I bake my pizza’s. I like the parchment paper for a few reasons. The first is because this allows you to cook your pizza dough without any additional calories or fats. It still creates a crispy crust, but you need to make sure that parchment paper is completely flat and touching the whole sheet pan, otherwise you will get pockets of slightly steamed dough. The con of the parchment paper method, is you miss the savory aspect to the crust that the lard gives you or the buttery flavor aspect that the Crisco gives you. The other added benefit of the parchment paper method is that clean up is a breeze. Simply toss that parchment paper in the garbage, and there are no stuck-on bits that will require scrubbing for clean up. Another reason why I like the parchment paper option is because the dough sticks to it while I’m spreading it out. The parchment paper helps me keep the dough in place once I get it where I want it. With Lard and Crisco, the dough is kind of like a slip and slide on the pan, so it’s going to move around on you more, and you will need to take more breaks to give the dough resting time to be able to pull and stretch it again without it shrinking back on you.
So you pick the option that works best for you.
Storing your Pizza:
If by some miracle you have left-overs, simply wrap your pizza in aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator. The next time you want to enjoy it, just heat it up in the oven at 300 degrees so you don’t burn the crust.
Ingredients for Pizza San Marzano:
This is everything you will need to make this pizza. Flour, yeast, San Marzano tomato’s, oregano, basil, red crushed pepper, olive oil, salt, pepper, mozzarella, and pecorino romano cheese.
Can I Omit the Pepper?
YES! If spice is not your cup of tea, the recipe will still work without the pepper.
Can I use Fresh Herbs?
YES! Fresh herbs add even more depth of flavor. If the supermarket had them available I would have used fresh herbs, but since they were not there, dried is the next best option.
Watch Pizza San Marzano Being Made:
How to Make Pizza San Marzano:
- Either make or purchase your fresh pizza dough
- Make the sauce for the pizza by combining the San Marzano tomato’s, garlic, oregano, basil, .
- Spread a layer of tomato sauce, then top with a layer of mozzarella, then top with pecorino romano cheese.
- Bake in the oven at 350 degree’s until dough is golden brown.
Need the Recipe for Homemade Pizza Dough?
Pizza San Marzano
Ingredients
Pizza Sauce
- 1 can of San Marzano tomatoes from Italy Read the label to make sure they are from Italy.
- 2 to 4 whole cloves of peeled garlic If the garlic cloves are large you only need 2. If the garlic cloves are very small, then you need 4. Don't be afraid to bang them up a little to release the flavor.
- 1 tablespoons oregano (fresh or dried)
- 1 tablespoons basil (fresh or dried)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red crushed pepper flakes
Pizza Dough
- 1 pizza dough ball (homemade or store purchased) Our homemade pizza dough recipe can be found on our website if you need it.
Other Ingredients
- olive oil extra virgin
- 1 8 oz bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 5 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Optional Ingredients
- Crisco
- Lard
Instructions
Pizza Sauce
- In a small bowl combine the San Marzano tomatoes, whole garlic cloves, oregano, basil, salt, black pepper, and red crushed pepper flakes.
- With a spoon break up the whole tomatoes as you stir the sauce together.
- Once the sauce is mixed, set aside and let all the flavors marinate on the countertop for at least 1 hr.
Assembling the Pizza
- 3 options for preparing your pizza baking sheet. Choose 1:1) Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. (Lowest calorie option)2) Grease the bottom of a cookie sheet with Crisco (Forget the calories! Give me crispy crust)3) Grease the bottom of a cookie sheet with Lard. (Nonna style! Bring on full fat and super crispy crust)
- Stretch out your pizza dough
- Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the pizza dough and spread it out using a pastry brush.
- Add the tomato sauce in small spoon fulls and spread it out on top of the pizza dough until covered. (DO NOT add the garlic cloves to the pizza. Leave them in the bowl.)
- Next, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top.
- Next, sprinkle the Pecorino Romano on top.
- In a pre-heated 350 degree oven, bake the pizza for roughly 30 minutes.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and check to see if the outer edge is golden brown. Then lift the corner of the pizza and check to see if the bottom of the pizza is also golden brown. If they both are your pizza is done. If they are not, place the pizza back in the oven and do another check in 7 minutes. Repeat as needed. When both the top and the bottom of your pizza are golden brown, your pizza is ready to enjoy!
