Pizza margherita in 4 easy steps

Pizza margherita in 4 easy steps

4.772725

(176 ratings)

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Cooking time

Prep: 25 mins Cook: 10 mins

Skill level

Easy

Servings

Makes 2 pizzas, serves 4

Even a novice cook can master the art of pizza with our simple step-by-step guide. Bellissimo

Nutrition and extra info

Additional info

  • Pizzas uncooked
  • Easily doubled / halved
  • Vegetarian
Nutrition info

Nutrition per serving

kcalories
431
protein
19g
carbs
59g
fat
15g
saturates
7g
fibre
3g
sugar
2g
salt
1.87g
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Ingredients

For the base

  • 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

For the tomato sauce

  • 100ml passata
  • handful fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed

For the topping

  • 125g ball mozzarella, sliced
  • handful grated or shaved parmesan
  • handful cherry tomatoes, halved

To finish

  • handful basil leaves (optional)

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Want to know how this works? Read all about it here.

  • Tip

    Troubleshooting

    If the dough is too wet: Add a bit more flour and work it in. If dough is too stretchy to roll out: Leave it to rest for 10 mins or so, then try again. You need far more pressure when rolling dough than when rolling out pastry. If the base isn’t cooked: Baking the pizza on top of a preheated sheet or tray should prevent this. However, it could be too thick or have too much topping. If the topping is cooked before the base, cover with foil and give it another 5 mins.

  • Tip

    Choose your toppings

    Fancy a bit more topping? Here's some suggestions. Olives, ham and chargrilled artichokes; Spicy sausage, chilli or jalapeños and sliced tomato; Spinach, garlic, gorgonzola cheese and a whole egg cracked on top; Creamy mascarpone, pesto, roasted red peppers and sliced mushrooms. Or if you are not sure what you fancy - why not do half and half.

  • Tip

    Calzone

    Pile sauce and toppings onto one half of the dough circle, brush the edge with a little water, then fold and pinch to make a pasty shape. Bake until golden as before.

  • Tip

    Garlic & rosemary bread

    Leave the dough a bit thicker, brush with oil and stud with rosemary sprigs. Bake for 15 mins or until risen and golden. Brush with garlic butter.

Method

  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 and bring together with a wooden spoon until you have a soft, fairly wet dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins 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.
  2. Make the sauce: Mix the passata, basil and crushed garlic together, then season to taste. Leave to stand at room temperature while you get on with shaping the base.
  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 the dough into large rounds, about 25cm across, using a rolling pin. The dough needs to be very thin as it will rise in the oven. Lift the rounds onto two floured baking sheets.
  4. Top and bake: Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C /gas 8. Put another baking sheet or an upturned baking tray in the oven on the top shelf. Smooth sauce over bases with the back of a spoon. Scatter with cheese and tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season. Put one pizza, still on its baking sheet, on top of the preheated sheet or tray. Bake for 8-10 mins until crisp. Serve with a little more olive oil, and basil leaves if using. Repeat step for remaining pizza.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, September 2007

BBC GoodFood Magazine

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Comments

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helenakeysxx's picture
helenakeysxx06:34, 4th Jun, 2013
5

Such a nice recipe! I made four individual pizzas for my family and let them put on their own toppings. I will definitely make this again!

saschlet's picture
saschlet01:58, 27th May, 2013
5

Easy and straightforward. I used wholemeal strong flour and it worked brilliantly. Would love to know how long it keeps/can the dough be frozen?

pottermellark4's picture
pottermellark408:30, 15th May, 2013
5

Loved this recipe! In all honesty I've always not been too good with cooking or baking, but these turned out amazing! Really simple to make, though my inexperienced self struggled for 40 minutes on the kneading - but I got there in the end!

gourmetgirl's picture
gourmetgirl01:43, 4th May, 2013
5

Lovely to eat and so easy! The children enjoyed helping which is a bonus. We will definitely be making again.

charl100's picture
charl10005:50, 1st Apr, 2013
5

Brilliant. I would never have thought that making a pizza from scratch could be so quick and easy. And it's tasty too.

happylydia's picture
happylydia03:51, 29th Mar, 2013
5

Omg, this was soooo easy and soooo yummy. I added pepperoni for my teenage sons and they scoffed the lot...I'll never buy a ready-made pizza again!

myjay09's picture
myjay0906:39, 21st Mar, 2013
5

Made these pizza's this evening and they are fab!!! Taste fantastic with so little effort! If you are thinking about it go for it!

jepson500's picture
jepson50010:01, 11th Mar, 2013

This is the first time I have every made pizza and what a success I will never order a takeaway pizza again

diana_001's picture
diana_00107:31, 18th Feb, 2013

Made this twice over the weekend. It's so quick and easy to make and was delicious. I did not roll the dough, used the more traditional method. Made Hawaiian and these were a big hit with the kids.

vickydreya's picture
vickydreya06:15, 17th Feb, 2013
5

Made this with ham and pineapple. Mozzarella and basil. And a garlic bread. Perfect!!so simple can't believe I have been buying pizza!

claire3110's picture
claire311001:53, 16th Feb, 2013

This sounds great and all your comments have persuaded me to try it. Bought all the ingrediaents this morning and going to keep the kids occupided during half term making it. Will let you know how it goes!

twin4664's picture
twin466410:16, 10th Feb, 2013

very nice,i whizzed a tin of tomatoes,garlic,fresh basil,salt,pepper,balsamic vinegar and olive oil for the sauce.

lolster's picture
lolster07:35, 6th Feb, 2013
5

Sukhrajsingh, you just mix passatta, crushed garlic and basil and that's it, you don't need to heat it! I was amazed it was so yummy with no cooking.

penny6's picture
penny610:36, 12th Jan, 2013

I'd like to know if the dough can be frozen too. As ia had to give away to other half to my mum.

lmm750's picture
lmm75009:39, 12th Jan, 2013
5

Lovely dough recipe, we made a garlic bread and a pizza using pesto and tomato purée as the sauce, was scrummy! Would definitely use this recipe again, it's so quick you can make it in the time it takes to heat the oven. Forget shop bought pizzas, this is the way forward.

harrietlouise25's picture
harrietlouise2511:00, 9th Jan, 2013

Sorry if this is an obvious question but is it possible to freeze the dough in a ball before adding the topping? Thinking of making the topping for the second pizza fresh to save freezer space and broke frozen pizza.

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