Pizza Express releases secret recipe for Margherita Pizza

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How to make your own Pizza Express Margherita: Chain releases its secret recipe for the family favourite during lockdown

  • Pizza Express has released the secret recipe for its popular  Margherita Pizza
  • Fans have rejoiced at the recipe, saying they’ll be quick to make it at home  
  • Pizza can be made in 12 steps, and takes 40 minutes to prepare and 10 to cook
  • It comes after the chain sent fans wild by sharing recipe for its dough balls 
  • Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID

By Bridie Pearson-jones For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Pizza Express fans have shared their joy after the high-street chain released the recipes for its much-loved Margherita pizza.

The Italian favourite closed all its restaurants four weeks ago, amid the coronavirus pandemic, but now food fans can now recreate the popular pizza at home, with a simple 12-step recipe.

The delicious dough is made from whipping up flour, yeast, sugar and water, while the topping consists of passata, mozzarella cheese and sprinkle of oregano and basil.

Pizza Express fans have shared their joy after the high-street chain released the recipes for its much-loved Margherita pizza 

HOW TO MAKE PIZZA EXPRESS MARGHERITA PIZZA

Prep time: 40 mins | Cooking time: 10 – 12 mins | Makes: 1 large pizza

Ingredients

  • 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
Pizza Express also shared a clip of one of their staff members attempt of making the pizza at home

Pizza Express also shared a clip of one of their staff members attempt of making the pizza at home

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C.

2. Add the sugar and crumble the fresh yeast into warm water.

3. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 – 15 minutes in a warm place (we find a windowsill on a sunny day works best) until froth develops on the surface.

4. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil.

5. Lightly flour your hands, and slowly mix the ingredients together until they bind.

6. Generously dust your surface with flour.

7. Throw down the dough and begin kneading for 10 minutes until smooth, silky and soft.

8. Place in a lightly oiled, non-stick baking tray (we use a round one, but any shape will do!)

9. Spread the passata on top making sure you go to the edge.

10. Evenly place the mozzarella (or other cheese) on top, season with the oregano and black pepper, then drizzle with a little olive oil.

11. Cook in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes until the cheese slightly colours.

12. When ready, place the basil leaf on top and tuck in!

 It comes after the chain released the recipe for its famous dough ball starter.

Pizza Express has served both the Margherita pizza and the dough ball for more than fifty years and have kept the recipe a tightly guarded secret in that time.

But it’s followed McDonald’s and Greggs in taking the unprecedented step of sharing top-secret recipes for the very first time. 

Due to an outpouring of love from food fans over the spilled secrets,  the chain is now set to release a recipe for one menu item every Sunday, with the Fiorentina pizza next in line. 

Fans couldn’t contain their excitement at the release of the margherita recipe.  

‘STOP IT, I cannot wait!’ wrote one.

‘My life is about to change…..’ said another.

‘DREAMS DO COME TRUE,’ exclaimed a third.   

Fans couldn't contain their excitement at the release of the margarita recipe

Fans couldn’t contain their excitement at the release of the margarita recipe

Pizza Express have shared how to make their famous dough balls at home as their restaurants closed their doors amid the coronavirus pandemic

Pizza Express have shared how to make their famous dough balls at home as their restaurants closed their doors amid the coronavirus pandemic

HOW TO MAKE PIZZA EXPRESS DOUGH BALLS 

FOR THE DOUGH BALLS (makes 2 portions)

Ingredients  

  • 150ml warm water – roughly 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

Method

1. First up, preheat the oven to 230C / 210C fan assisted

2. Add the sugar and crumble the fresh yeast into the warm water. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 – 15 minutes in a warm place until froth develops on the surface

3. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour the yeast mixture in

4. Lightly flour your hands and slowly mix the ingredients together until they bind

5. Generously dust your surface with flour, throw down the dough and begin kneading for 10 minutes until smooth, silky and soft. Leave dough to rest until soft to the touch but not too springy

6. Roll dough into a 1.2m long tube. Chop into 16 chunks and place in an oven proof pan. Leave the Dough Balls to rest in the pan for 30 mins

7. Make sure the oven has reached temperature and bake for 6 minutes until golden

FOR THE GARLIC BUTTER

Ingredients  

  • 10ml extra virgin olive oil 
  • 4 teaspoons of butter
  • 0.5 teaspoons of chopped garlic

Method:

1. Blend olive oil and chopped garlic into a paste. Pour over butter and blend with a spoon

 Others said they’d be using the simple recipe to teach their children baking.

‘Brilliant. We do this . As a cooking lesson, thanks!’ said one parent.

While some asked for more recipes.

‘Now we need your pollo ad astra’ said one.

‘Pollo pesto next please guys’ said another.

‘Can you share your passata recipe?’ added a third.

Due to an outpouring of love from food fans over the spilled secrets, the chain is now set to release a recipe for one menu item every Sunday, with the Fiorentina pizza next in line

Due to an outpouring of love from food fans over the spilled secrets, the chain is now set to release a recipe for one menu item every Sunday, with the Fiorentina pizza next in line