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Margherita pizza


Makes: 2 large pizzas
Serves: 4
timePrep time: 35 mins
timeTotal time:
Margherita pizza
Recipe photograph by Rob Streeter
Our creative food editor Anna says: ‘You really can’t beat the classic margherita. By using peeled plum tomatoes instead of chopped tomatoes you get a riper, sweeter flavour – important here when the ingredients are so few'

Makes: 2 large pizzas
Serves: 4
timePrep time: 35 mins
timeTotal time:

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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
565Kcal
Fat
13gr
Saturates
5gr
Carbs
88gr
Sugars
4gr
Fibre
4gr
Protein
21gr
Salt
1.6gr

Anna Glover

Anna Glover

Anna is our former Creative Food Editor, and a cookery writer and food stylist. She loves a challenge and is known for whipping up interesting flavour combinations. She’s still in search of the best pizza in the world 
See more of Anna Glover’s recipes
Anna Glover

Anna Glover

Anna is our former Creative Food Editor, and a cookery writer and food stylist. She loves a challenge and is known for whipping up interesting flavour combinations. She’s still in search of the best pizza in the world 
See more of Anna Glover’s recipes

Ingredients

  • 1 batch pizza dough (see step 1 in the recipe)
  • 1 x 125g mozzarella ball
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 x 400g tin Italian peeled plum tomatoes
  • ½ x 30g pack basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano (if you have fresh, use 2 tsp, chopped)
  • sugar to sweeten, if needed
  • extra-virgin olive oil, to serve

Step by step

Get ahead
Make the sauce up to 2 days before and chill.
  1. Make the pizza dough of your choice - choose from either our overnight pizza dough or our quick pizza dough. Preheat the oven to as hot as it will go, about 240°C, fan 220°C, gas 9, with 2 large, flat baking trays in the oven.
  2. Drain the mozzarella in a sieve over a bowl, in the fridge, for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
  3. To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic for 30 seconds, without browning. Add the tin of tomatoes and half the basil (as whole sprigs) and dried oregano to the pan. Add a splash of water to the tomato tin, give it a swill around, and add. Squash the tomatoes with the back of a spoon or with a potato masher to break them down. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until thickened. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar if you think it needs it; remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Remove the whole basil sprigs before using.
  4. Roll and shape the pizza dough into 2 large pizza bases, about 30cm diameter each, on a large square of baking paper (see box page 48). Divide the tomato sauce between each pizza; spread thinly. Slice the mozzarella and add, with a few basil leaves. If using the quick dough, leave to rise for 10-15 minutes.
  5. Slide each pizza in turn, still on its paper, onto a board. Transfer to the preheated trays, and bake for 10-15 minutes until the dough is golden. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, and top with extra basil leaves to serve.
    Tip
    Added extras: Top with rocket, a few slivers of salami and a grating of Parmesan once it’s out of the oven, or scatter over a few black olives and anchovies before cooking.
Chef quote
Don’t overload the pizzas – a margherita shouldn't be sloppy!

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