Pizza Margherita: How a Royal Lunch in Naples Gave Birth to the World’s Favorite Pie

The scene: Naples, June 1889. The bustling city streets smell of the sea, wood smoke, and fresh basil. A royal entourage is in town — Queen Margherita of Savoy, the beloved queen of the newly unified Italy, and her husband, King Umberto I, are visiting. The queen, curious about the local food of the people, reportedly grew tired of the heavy French cuisine popular at royal banquets. She wanted something simple. Something local. Something that spoke of Italy.

Enter Raffaele Esposito, a celebrated pizzaiolo at Pizzeria di Pietro e basta così, who was summoned to create a dish fit for a queen but rooted in the flavors of Naples. Esposito prepared three pizzas, one of which would make culinary history: a flatbread topped with the red of tomato, the white of mozzarella, and the green of fresh basil — the colors of the Italian flag. Queen Margherita loved it so much that Esposito received a thank-you letter signed by her head of household, which is still displayed in Naples today.

The patriotic pizza that conquered the world

This particular pie didn’t just charm royalty — it became a national symbol.

While pizzas had existed in Naples for centuries (with flatbreads topped with garlic, lard, and cheese being common for the working class), the use of tomato was a relatively recent addition, brought to Europe after the Columbian Exchange and embraced by Neapolitans in the 18th century.

The Margherita’s tricolor toppings turned an everyday street food into a culinary emblem of Italy’s identity.

From wood-fired ovens to delivery boxes

Back in Esposito’s day, pizza was cooked in blazing-hot wood-fired ovens, resulting in a blistered, leopard-spotted crust, chewy inside, and lightly charred edges.

Today, while traditional pizzaioli still guard this method under strict rules set by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (source), the Margherita has been adapted for gas ovens, electric ovens, frozen food aisles, and delivery services.

Modern mozzarella is often lower in moisture, basil may be added post-bake, and tomato sauce is sometimes sweetened — changes that make the pizza more consistent for mass production, but a little less ethereal than the one Queen Margherita enjoyed.

Why the original hits different

• Dough fermented for 24–48 hours, producing a light, airy crust.

• Fresh fior di latte or buffalo mozzarella, not shredded.

• San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand.

• Basil leaves torn just before baking to release essential oils.

• A wood oven reaching around 485°C (905°F) — cooking the pizza in about 90 seconds.

That lightning-fast bake is key to achieving the chewy yet crisp texture — a feat home ovens can only partially imitate.

Authentic Neapolitan-Style Margherita Pizza

Ingredients

• 500g Italian “00” flour

• 325ml lukewarm water

• 2g fresh yeast (or 1g active dry yeast)

• 10g salt

• 300g canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand

• 250g fresh mozzarella (fior di latte or buffalo)

• Fresh basil leaves

• Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the flour gradually, mixing until it comes together, then add the salt. Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth.

2. Cover and let rise for 24 hours at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 48 hours for more flavor.

3. Preheat your oven to its maximum temperature (250°C/480°F) at least 45 minutes in advance. If you have a pizza stone or steel, place it inside.

4. Divide the dough into two balls. Let them rest for 2 hours at room temperature before stretching.

5. Stretch each dough ball into a thin circle. Spread with crushed tomatoes, leaving the edges bare. Tear mozzarella over the top.

6. Add fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.

7. Bake on the hot stone/steel for 6–8 minutes (or until the crust is puffed and golden). If using a broiler, finish the top under high heat for 1–2 minutes for extra char.

8. Serve immediately — no pizza survives long once that basil scent hits the air.