Pizza Margherita
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • Basic pizza dough
  • 2½ teaspoons dried yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 cup hand-hot water
  • 2½ cups plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Topping/sauce
  • 1x 400g chopped tomatoes (or 8 ripe tomatoes chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 4 leaves basil chopped or 2 teaspoons dried basil (I love the stuff so I always add way more)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon Tomato purée (1 small can)
  • 3½ oz mozzarella cheese grated or chopped
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (fresh if possible)
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Pizza Dough
  2. Place the yeast and sugar in a measuring jug and mix with ¼ cup of warm water.
  3. Leave the yeast mixture in a warm place for 15 minutes or until frothy
  4. Mix the flour with the salt and make a well in the centre. Add the oil, yeast mixture and the remaining water into the flour.
  5. Using a wooden spoon, mix to form a dough.
  6. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 4-5 mins or until smooth.
  7. Return the dough to the bowl and cover and leave to rise for 30mins or until it has doubled in size.
  8. Knead the dough for 2 mins. You can either stretch the dough into shape with your hands or roll it out if you prefer a thinner base. In saying that it should be no more than 6 mm ¼" thick because it will rise slightly during cooking.
  9. Pizza Sauce
  10. To make the topping, place the tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste in a large frying pan (or skillet) and leave to simmer for 20 mins or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
  11. Then stir in the tomato puree and leave to cool slightly.
  12. Spread the topping evenly over the pizza base. I find using the back of a metal spoon easiest for getting it to an even thickness.
  13. Top with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and whichever topping you like and bake in the oven for 20-25 mins until golden and the mozzarella has melted.
  14. Serves 4-6. (Depends on how thick or thin you want the dough)
  15. Prep time: 40 mins
  16. Cook time: 20-25 mins
  17. Oven temp: 200oC/400oF
Recipe by Canadian Budget Binder at https://canadianbudgetbinder.com/2014/05/18/pizza-margherita/