Gino D'Acampo's classic Margherita pizza recipe

Gino D'Acampo's classic Margherita pizza recipe is easy to make and fabulously Italian.

This recipe makes 2 pizzas - perfect for sharing. It will take 1hr and 15 mins to prepare and cook - and we can assure you it's well worth the wait. Gino shows you how to make a classic pizza base from scratch, as well as a rich, tomato pizza sauce - and how to top it perfectly too. Homemade pizza is a great skill to master and it makes a really affordable meal that feels special too. In fact, this is one of our very best cheap family meals. Margherita is one of the most traditional pizza toppings, especially popular in Naples where they make the very best pizzas and rarely top them any other way. Feel free to add a little something else on top if you prefer though.

Ingredients

• 200g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
• 7g fast-action dried yeast
• Pinch of salt
• 140ml water, warm
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus extra for brushing
• 200g passata (sieved tomatoes)
• 2 mozzarella balls, drained and cut into little cubes
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 8 fresh basil leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Prepare 2 baking trays by pouring 1 tablespoon of oil on each tray and spreading it with your fingers or pastry brush. Brush the inside of a large bowl with oil.
2. To prepare the dough, put the flour, yeast and salt into a large bowl, make a well in the centre and pour in the water with 1 tablespoon of oil. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything together to create a wet dough.
3. Turn out the dough onto a well-floured surface and work it with your hands for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in the oiled bowl, brush the top with oil and cover with clingfilm. Leave to rest at room temperature for 25 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
5. Once rested, turn out the dough onto a well-floured surface and divide it into 2 equal halves. Use your hands to push each one out from the centre, to create 2 round discs about 25cm in diameter. Place the pizza bases on the oiled baking trays.
6. Spread the passata evenly over the top of the bases using the back of a tablespoon. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Divide the mozzarella between the 2 pizzas and drizzle each one with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
8. Cook in the middle of the oven for 18 minutes until golden brown. Two minutes before the end of the cooking, scatter over the basil and continue to cook. Serve hot and enjoy.

Top tip for making Gino D'Acampo's classic margherita pizza

If you like it hot, you can always drizzle a little chilli oil on top before serving.