In the bowl of your stand mixer, or mixing bowl if kneading by hand, stir the yeast and water together until it's dissolved. Cover with a clean cloth or plastic bag and leave to ferment for 15 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients and knead for about eight minutes with the stand mixer or ten minutes by hand or until the dough is smooth and elastic. If it seems too dry add a little more water, but go carefully.
Cover the bowl with a clean cloth or plastic bag and leave to rise until doubled in volume.
Tomato Sauce
Whilst the bread's rising, make the sauce.
Blitz all of the ingredients in a power blender until smooth. You don't even need to chop the tomatoes.
Bring to the boil in a large open pan and simmer for about thirty minutes or until the tomato sauce has reduced by about half. The sauce should be thick enough to spread on a pizza without running off the edges.
Leave to cool until needed.
Toppings
Turn the oven on to 220℃ (425℉, Gas 7).
Divide the dough into four for small pizzas or two for large ones. Roll each piece into a round, square or rectangle as thinly as possible.
Place onto two oiled baking trays. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rest for ten minutes.
Spread a layer of tomato sauce over the base of each one, leaving a one centimetre gap around the edges.
Distribute your toppings of choice over the tomato sauce in as even a layer as possible.
Ensure the oven is properly hot. Place one tray on the top shelf of the oven and one on the middle shelf for about fifteen minutes. After ten minutes, swap the trays over. They're done when the dough is risen, bronzed and crusty and the cheese nicely melted. If not, place back in the oven for a few more minutes.
Tuck in and relish your homemade pizza whilst it's nice and hot.
Notes
Serves two to four depending on appetites and the occasion.Lovely with a green salad.If you use tinned tomatoes or your sauce is a bit sharp, you might want to add a large pinch of sugar or a small pinch of stevia powder or xylitol.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on exact ingredients used.