Punchy spinach pesto pizza

Cook the spinach in a pan of boiling water for 30 seconds until wilted, then drain and rinse under cold running water to cool. Squeeze out the excess water. Put half the wilted spinach in a blender with 150ml hot water and blitz to a smooth green purée.

Dissolve the yeast in 2 tbsp tepid water. Put the flour in a large bowl with the spinach purée, 2 tsp salt and the yeast mixture. Bring together into a dough, adding up to 50ml more water if it’s too dry. Knead for 5 mins, then leave in a covered bowl at room temperature for 1 hr until doubled in size. After an hour, divide the dough into four pieces, then cover again and leave to prove for another hour.

For the pesto, put the remaining 200g spinach, half the basil, the pine nuts, parmesan, oil, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Season to taste and loosen with up to 3 tbsp water, if needed. Mix the lemon zest with the crème fraîche and some seasoning and 2-3 tbsp water to loosen. Set aside along with the pesto.

Heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/ gas 9 with a large baking sheet inside. Flatten the proved dough balls into rounds on a floured work surface, then roll each one out until about 25cm wide and 5mm thick. Put each pizza base on its own sheet of baking parchment.

Spoon the lemony crème fraîche over the pizza bases and spread almost to the edges, leaving a small border. Drizzle over half the pesto, then top with the broccoli. Dot over the tomatoes and mozzarella, then sprinkle with the chilli flakes.

Cook one pizza at a time by sliding the pizza on its baking parchment onto the hot baking sheet in the oven and baking for 12-15 mins until the crust is golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining pizzas, then drizzle over the remaining pesto. Scatter over the leaves from the remaining basil, then drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with extra chilli flakes, if you like.