From Dough to Topping: Celebrate Pizza Day by Preparing a Tasty Recipe

Margherita Pizza is a great choice to celebrate the date at home and surprise everyone.

July 2020 – Thanks to its versatility, pizza may be the best food to share and please a wide range of palates. Besides being democratic, the dish adapts to different occasions and can be enjoyed individually or at a social gathering.

As one of the most popular dishes, pizza earned a special date on the calendar, celebrated on July 10. Brazil got to know pizza in the 19th century, when Italian immigrants brought this delicious delicacy. It quickly became popular nationwide, its toppings were adapted to local tastes, and the range of variations is extensive.

To celebrate this date in style, the Umami Committee, the organization responsible for promoting the fifth taste, selected the recipe for one of the most traditional pizzas: Margherita. In addition to mozzarella, the topping calls for sliced cherry tomatoes—rich in umami—and the tomato sauce adds extra flavor, making the pizza even more delicious. It’s an umami party on your plate!

Have the full experience from start to finish and make a delicious Margherita pizza. Check it out:

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (330 g)
• 1 cup milk (200 ml)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 cube baker’s yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp monosodium glutamate (AJI-NO-MOTO®)
• 1 cup tomato purée (200 ml)
• 600 g sliced mozzarella
• 2 small tomatoes, thinly sliced (260 g)
• 20 basil leaves

Directions

1. Make the dough: in a large bowl, add milk, oil, flour, and yeast. Season with salt and monosodium glutamate (AJI-NO-MOTO®).
2. Knead by hand until smooth. Shape into two balls and rest for 5 minutes. On a clean, floured surface, use a rolling pin to open each ball into a 28 cm (11 in) disk.
3. Transfer to two round pans (28 cm / 11 in) and bake in a preheated medium oven (180 °C) for 10 minutes to par-bake the crust. Remove from the oven.
4. Spread the tomato purée over the crusts, arrange the mozzarella slices, and top with tomato slices and basil.
5. Bake at 180 °C for 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Tips:

1. When par-baking the crusts, do not let them brown; this prevents the final pizza from becoming too hard.
2. If you prefer, freeze one pizza for another day. Let one par-baked crust cool completely, top with tomato purée, mozzarella, and tomato slices, then wrap with plastic film in the same pan (or use a food-safe cardboard disk so it stays flat). Freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw and bake, remove the plastic, place on a pan (if using a cardboard base), and bake in a preheated medium oven (180 °C) for about 25 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese melts. Garnish with basil leaves and serve immediately.

UMAMI

It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste in the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and the persistence of taste for a few minutes after ingestion. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br.