Ultimate pizza Margherita

Ultimate pizza Margherita

Take your senses on a trip to Italy with this authentic pizza Margherita

Difficulty and servings

For the keen cook

Makes 2 pizzas

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 1 hr 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 15 mins

Includes rising time
Freezable

Base only

Method

  1. In a bowl, mix flour, semolina, salt and yeast. Make a dip in the middle, pour in oil, water, then stir and squeeze everything together (hands are easiest for this). The dough should feel very sticky (pic 1). When it is well mixed, cover and leave for 15 mins.
  2. Tip the dough on to a lightly oiled work surface and rub your hands and the inside of the bowl with oil. Knead the dough about 12 times only, giving it a quarter turn each time you knead. Tuck the ends under so it is the shape of a ball and lay it in the bowl, seam side down. Cover and leave for 10 mins. Repeat the kneading and leaving for 10 mins again, then knead and leave for 15 mins, oiling the surface and your hands each time.
  3. In between kneadings make the sauce for the topping. Drain the tomatoes and tip them into a bowl. Snip them into small pieces with scissors (pic 2). Stir in garlic, tomato purée, and seasoning. Set aside. Brush a baking sheet with oil and sprinkle with a little semolina. Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9.
  4. When the dough is ready, cut in half and put one half onto a lightly fl oured surface. Knead 4-5 times to squash out any air bubbles, then roll it out. At the point where it just keeps springing back, brush off the fl our from the work surface and rub on a little oil. This makes it easier to roll. Continue to roll out until you have a 28cm circle, pulling it into shape as well. Lift it onto the baking sheet (it's easier if you drape it over a rolling pin).
  5. Drain the mozzarella, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Brush the dough with olive oil, then spread half the sauce over, almost up to the edge. Scatter over half the basil, then tear up one mozzarella ball and scatter over the basil (pic 3). Grate over pepper and drizzle with a little oil. Bake for 12-15 mins, until the topping is bubbling and the dough is going brown. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings. To serve, scatter with parmesan shavings, rocket leaves and drizzle with oil.

Per serving

593 kcalories, protein 26g, carbohydrate 74g, fat 24 g, saturated fat 10g, fibre 3g, sugar 4g, salt 3 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, May 2006.

Try 3 issues of Good Food magazine for £3 - subscribe now!

Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo Fluffy

    17 November 2007

    Fluffy rated this recipe

    5 stars

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Stoogy

    29 December 2007

    Stoogy rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Excellent

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo chris

    18 February 2008

    chris rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    It was worth the effort and turned out really well, even for my first attempt at making dough. The instructions were easy to follow

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Lee

    26 April 2008

    Lee commented on this recipe

    So far this is my favorite pizza dough recipe. It's not as hard as it seems and the results are better than recipes I've tried that take longer.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Tracey

    22 July 2008

    Tracey rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is the best pizza recipe i have tried and it is so easy to make.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Niekster

    30 August 2008

    Niekster commented on this recipe

    excellent pizza dough recipe!

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Sarai

    17 September 2008

    Sarai commented on this recipe

    Turned the pizza dough into a loaf of bread and the results were amazing! It had a wonderful open yet soft crumb. Absolutely delicious.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Anthony

    19 October 2008

    Anthony rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I to used this recipe to make bread (minus the semolina!!) and it makes wonderful soft bread, I also left some bread in the oven until the top was dark brown (not burnt) and it made excellent "crusty bread." Many thanks!

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo reenie

    12 July 2009

    reenie commented on this recipe

    Great recipe for the base. I put all sorts on the top - tuna piri piri is my favourite.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo cluju

    26 August 2009

    cluju rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    great recipe for the base best we've tried yet

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Loves to cook

    05 September 2009

    Loves to cook rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Best pizza base so far, and I have tried lots trust me. Pizza is our household favorites for Saturdays supper.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo ternera

    13 January 2010

    ternera rated this recipe

    4 stars

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo miniminx

    03 February 2010

    miniminx rated this recipe

    1 stars

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo gibi

    26 February 2010

    gibi rated this recipe

    2 stars

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Maggie

    02 May 2010

    Maggie commented on this recipe

    the best pizza dough recipe for me. looked scary at the beginning, but actually not so hard to make, so today all take away menus landed in a trash. everyone should try it.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Maggie

    02 May 2010

    Maggie rated this recipe

    5 stars

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo dieharder

    12 August 2010

    dieharder rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    This recipe does make fantastic pizzas. I have done this three or four times now and I'm getting better at it. The bases come out just right, not too doughy and not too flat.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo LoftyLady

    25 September 2010

    LoftyLady rated and commented on this recipe

    2 stars

    I've given this a low star rating only because I found the dough incredibly sticky. I know the recipe states to expect this - but I had literally half of the mixture sticking to my hands every time I kneaded it and found it almost impossible to remove the dough from my hands. I ended up getting annoyed with it on the final kneading and tipping loads of flour into it just so that I could get it to roll out. Any tips would be greatly appreciated! I'd really like to try it again.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Christine

    26 September 2010

    Christine rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made this for the first time today. Cheated a little at stage one of the dough, as I already had the Kenwood out I mixed it in that. The finished product was very well received and can't wait to make it again LoftyLady - I found that keeping your hands oiled stops the dough from sticking, hope that helps.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo RUTH

    27 January 2011

    RUTH rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I cheated with this recipe & just put all the ingredients in the breadmaker on pizza dough setting. The result was not at all sticky & tasted far better than my usual pizza base which is just like bread!

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Leave a comment or suggestion

You must sign in or register to leave a comment.

Sign in / Register

Difficulty and servings

For the keen cook

Makes 2 pizzas

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 1 hr 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 15 mins

Includes rising time
Freezable

Base only

Ingredients

FOR THE PIZZA DOUGH

FOR THE TOPPING

  • 400g can plum tomatoes
  • 2 plump garlic cloves , finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 balls buffalo mozzarella , (about 140g each)
  • two small handfuls basil leaves, roughly torn parmesan shavings and rocket, to serve
Print this recipe
Add to your binder

Per serving

593 kcalories, protein 26g, carbohydrate 74g, fat 24 g, saturated fat 10g, fibre 3g, sugar 4g, salt 3 g

Advertisement

Your binder

Here are three other great reasons why to sign up:

  • You get an online binder, where you can store all your favourite recipes and create menus.
  • You can add your own recipes to this site for others to try; plus, rate and make comments on recipes, and share your views on our blog.

Follow Good Food

Advertisement

All about Good Food

Magazine

Good Food Magazine

Subscribe to Good Food magazine - enjoy 100+ triple-tested recipes delivered to your door, every month.

Order today, and receive your first 3 issues for just £3

On TV

Foodie TV

See your favourite chefs on Sky Channel 247, Virgin TV 260 and find their recipes at goodfoodchannel.co.uk.

Good Food Apps

Good Food Apps

For Good Food on the go, download our apps to your phone or portable device.
Find out more here

Buy ingredients

With just one click, the full list of recipe ingredients will be put into a basket at your choice of provider. Choose from:

mySupermarket Compare prices and choose a retailer you wish to buy them from.

Ocado Let Ocado deliver all you need for this recipe, right to your door

Tesco Buy all the ingredients from our recipes through your Tesco online shop.

new

Asda Shop with Asda? You can now buy ingredients for our recipes via your Asda online shop.

In association with the above providers. Terms and conditions apply.

Close