INGREDIENTS

Pizza bases
4 cups plain flour, sifted
2 teaspoons active-dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup warm water

Basil pesto sauce
50 g pine nuts
small bunch of basil leaves
50 g parmesan cheese, grated
100 ml olive oil
1 large garlic clove, crushed

Topping
4 tomatoes
150g bocconcini cheese
basil leaves
salt and pepper, to taste

TO MAKE

First, prepare the pizza bases. Place the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Alternatively, use a food processor to save yourself a workout. Add two tablespoons of the oil and all of the warm water about one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each new addition. Add more water or flour if necessary to achieve a smooth dough. Knead with your hands to form a round ball, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a dry, warm place for at least an hour, until the dough has expanded.

Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead by hand. Cut in half and roll out each piece to form a large circle. Cover again with plastic wrap and set aside to let rise for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 260˚C.

Meanwhile, make the basil pesto by lightly toasting the pine nuts in a pan over a low heat until golden, shaking often so the nuts don’t stick. Throw the toasted nuts into a food processor, then add the basil leaves, parmesan, olive oil and garlic clove. Process until smooth.

Transfer the two pizza bases to greased baking trays. Spread the basil pesto on top, storing any leftover sauce in a sealable jar, with a little olive oil on top. This can be kept in the fridge for up to a week.

Slice the tomatoes and layer on top of the pesto. Roughly chop the cheese into pieces and scatter across the two pizzas, or hold off until after you’ve cooked the bases.

Place both pizzas in the preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes, or until the pizza crusts are cooked through and brown on the edges. Thinly slice the extra basil leaves and sprinkle on top to finish.

Slice into generous pieces and enjoy.