Pizza! Hands up if you don’t love this symbol of Italian perfection. Let me guess—you didn’t raise yours 🙂
Yes, it turns out there’s one general consensus: everyone loves pizza. Thick or thin crust, classic tomato sauce or cream-based—the main thing is excellent pizza dough, high-quality sauce, and toppings you love.
Since I started the blog, I’ve received countless requests from readers for a perfect pizza recipe. Honestly, until a few weeks ago, I hadn’t found one that was truly perfect.
But then I remembered Maayan Nadir, first and foremost a friend with a huge heart, and also an incredible cook and baker. For years she managed social media accounts, consulted for restaurants and bakeries, and cooked in various kitchens. Today, she’s mainly a partner at My Deli, which sells cheeses, smoked fish, and cold cuts from around the world and also homemade dishes and delicacies (what a perfect word!)—all prepared by Maayan.
Ever since I met Maayan, I knew that if there was one thing I had to learn from her, it was how to make pizza and arayes. After her arayes recipe went up on my blog (and became one of the most popular and beloved), it was finally time for pizza. And what a pizza!
A few months ago, we met with my favorite photographer, Afik Gabay, for a morning of baking. You wouldn’t believe how amazing the pizza turned out—and how satisfying it was to open the dough, spread the sauce, and arrange the toppings. Just watching it made me smile for two days. This is a recipe to bookmark and keep forever, and of course, make again and again.
Some important notes:
- Go follow Maayan on Instagram. She’s insanely talented, and you’ll learn a lot from her. And if you see a dish you love and there’s no recipe, just ask her—she has a huge heart and will likely send it to you.
- Make sure you have a pizza peel or tray for sliding the pizza into the oven
- A pizza wheel is also handy.
And here’s a little peek at the pizza being made by Maayan Nadir. The wonderful photos are by Afik Gabay.