Name: Pizza Margherita in 4 Easy Steps Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 300g strong bread flour; 1 tsp instant yeast (from a sachet or a tub); 1 tsp salt; 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 200ml warm water; 100ml passata; handful fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 125g ball mozzarella, sliced; handful grated or shaved parmesan; handful cherry tomatoes, halved; handful basil leaves (optional, for garnish)

Ingredients

300g strong bread flour

1 tsp instant yeast (from a sachet or a tub)

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

100ml passata

Handful fresh basil or 1 tsp dried

1 garlic clove, crushed

125g ball mozzarella, sliced

Handful grated or shaved parmesan

Handful cherry tomatoes, halved

Handful basil leaves (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Make the base. Put the flour into a large bowl, then stir in the yeast and salt. Make a well, pour in 200ml warm water and the olive oil. Bring together with a wooden spoon until you have a soft, fairly wet dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Cover with a tea towel and set aside. You can leave the dough to rise if you like, but it’s not essential for a thin crust.

Step 2: Make the sauce. Mix the passata, basil, and crushed garlic together, then season to taste. Leave to stand at room temperature while you prepare the base.

Step 3: Roll out the dough. If you’ve let the dough rise, give it a quick knead, then split into two balls. On a floured surface, roll out each ball into a large round about 25cm across using a rolling pin. The dough should be very thin as it will rise in the oven. Lift the rounds onto two floured baking sheets.

Step 4: Top and bake. Heat the oven to 240°C (fan 220°C / gas mark 8). Place another baking sheet or an upturned baking tray on the top shelf to preheat. Smooth the sauce over the bases with the back of a spoon. Scatter with mozzarella, parmesan, and halved cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and season. Slide one pizza, still on its baking sheet, onto the preheated tray and bake for 8–10 minutes until crisp. Serve with extra olive oil and basil leaves if using. Repeat with the remaining pizza.

Tips & Variations

If the dough is too wet, add a little more flour and knead it in.

If the dough is too stretchy to roll out, let it rest for 10 minutes before trying again.

To ensure the base cooks through, bake the pizza on a preheated baking sheet or tray.

If toppings cook faster than the base, cover the pizza loosely with foil and bake for another 5 minutes.

Try adding toppings like olives, ham, spicy sausage, spinach, or mozzarella variations to customize your pizza.

For a calzone, fold the dough over the toppings, pinch edges with water to seal, and bake until golden.

Make garlic and rosemary bread by leaving the dough thicker, brushing with oil, adding rosemary sprigs, and baking for 15 minutes. Finish with garlic butter.

FAQs

Can I use regular dried basil instead of fresh?

Yes, dried basil works well in the sauce if fresh isn’t available. Use about 1 teaspoon of dried basil to replace a handful of fresh leaves.

Do I have to let the dough rise?

No, letting the dough rise is optional for this recipe. Skipping the rise gives a thinner, crisper crust, but allowing it to rise will result in a softer base.