IF you’re craving your favourite meal and can’t wait until restaurants reopen after the lockdown, you’re in luck as Pizza Express has released its secret Margherita recipe.
While the chain has been forced to close its doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, you can whip up its signature dishes from the comfort of your own home.
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Following the success of their dough balls recipe, they’ve now shared exactly how to make their classic Margherita at home.
Pizza Express said: “For the first-time ever, the recipe exclusive for this pizzeria cult classic is being revealed.
“To create this timeless and much-loved recipe, which has featured on PizzaExpress recipes since 1965, just follow the following quick and easy steps.”
You’ll need sugar, yeast, flour, salt, oil, passata, mozzarella, oregano, black pepper and the finishing touch – one basil leaf.
Pizza Express' Margherita recipe
- 150ml warm water – around 27 degrees
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 15g fresh yeast (or 2 level teaspoons of dry yeast)
- 225g of plain flour (plus extra for working)
- 1.5 teaspoons of salt
- Extra virgin olive oil (and a little for drizzling)
- 80g of PizzaExpress passata (or any tomato passata you have)
- 70g mozzarella (or any cheese you have)
- Pinch of oregano
- 1 Basil leaf (if you have one)
- Black pepper
Although Pizza Express said any cheese or passata will do, and the basil leaf isn’t strictly necessary.
To start, pre-heat your oven to 230c, and if you’re using fresh yeast add it and the sugar into some warm water and leave for around 15 minutes in a warm area, until froth develops on the surface.
If you’re using dry yeast, sift this, the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, then add in the water and oil.
Dust your hands with flour, then slowly mix everything together until well combined.
???THIS IS NOT A DRILL ??? We've just released our Margherita recipe. That's right, how to make our pizza at home. From scratch. Right now. Find it in our stories and online at pizzaexpress.com/homemade-favourites Have a go. Tag us. Show us what you're made of (if you're anything like us that answer will be "pizza"). #StayHome #PizzaExpress #HomemadeFavourites
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Sprinkle some flour onto your work surface and knead the dough for around 10 minutes, until it’s “smooth, silky and soft”.
Pizza Express said: “Place in a lightly oiled, non-stick baking tray (we use a round one, but any shape will do!)”
Spread your passata on top, with the restaurant advising “make sure you go to the edge”.
Next even place your cheese on top, season with black pepper and oregano and drizzle with oil.
Bake it in the oven for around 12 minutes “until the cheese slightly colours”.
Take it out and let it cool slightly, with Pizza Express adding: “When ready, place the basil leaf on top and tuck in!”
Thousands of people have liked the recipe after the restaurant shared it to their Instagram page, vowing to make the dish themselves.
One person said: “My dreams have all come true.”
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Another wrote: “We can do this.”
A third wrote: “My life is about to change…….”
While this fan added: “Still nothing like a PizzaExpress experience though!!! I miss eating out.”
Plus this woman shared her recipe for 'galaxy' fudge which she makes in a slow cooker, and the secret is Smarties.
And an amateur chef reveals how to make the perfect crème brûlée using only 3 ingredients – you don’t even need a blow torch.
Meanwhile, this food blogger revealed how to make golden honeycomb using just three ingredients.
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