Pizza Express Margherita

Why this dinner works

Most weeknight one-pot dinners ask you to choose between two evils: a five-ingredient bowl that tastes like the inside of a saucepan, or a recipe so layered it eats your entire evening. Pizza Express Margherita sits comfortably in the middle. It draws on Italian traditions where building flavor in stages — aromatics, then spice, then the slow swell of liquid into starch — is just how dinner gets made on a regular Tuesday.

The whole thing comes together in about 74 minutes in a single skillet, which means dinner from idea to table is shorter than most podcast episodes. We've leaned on the everyday 11 ingredients listed below, but in the notes after the recipe you'll find the small swaps and shortcuts that make this dish forgiving when your fridge is half-empty.

Method

1. Step 1. 1 Preheat the oven to 230°C.
2. Step 2. 2 Add the sugar and crumble the fresh yeast into warm water.
3. Step 3. 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. Step 4. 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. Step 5. 5 Lightly flour your hands, and slowly mix the ingredients together until they bind.
6. Step 6. 6 Generously dust your surface with flour.
7. Step 7. 7 Throw down the dough and begin kneading for 10 minutes until smooth, silky and soft.
8. Step 8. 8 Place in a lightly oiled, non-stick baking tray (we use a round one, but any shape will do!)
9. Step 9. 9 Spread the passata on top making sure you go to the edge.
10. Step 10. 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. Step 11. 11 Cook in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes until the cheese slightly colours.
12. Step 12. 12 When ready, place the basil leaf on top and tuck in!

Cook's notes

One pan, fewer dishes. Use the widest, heaviest skillet you own with a tight-fitting lid. The wider base means faster browning at the start; the lid traps the gentle steam that finishes the dish without scorching the bottom.

Salt as you go. Season the aromatics, season the protein, season the liquid before it reduces. By the time you taste at the end, the only adjustment is usually acid — a squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar, a final crack of pepper.

Make it ahead. Like most one-pot dinners with italian roots, the leftovers are arguably better the next day. Cool quickly, refrigerate within two hours, and reheat gently with a splash of water or stock to loosen things back up.

Pairings & serving

This one feels best in a 6-bowl spread with a sharp green salad and something cold to drink. If you want to stretch it for unexpected company, double the liquid and a single starchy ingredient — rice, pasta, potatoes, depending on the recipe — and the whole pan grows without much extra work.

Watch it cooked

If you're a visual learner, there's a free walkthrough of this dish on YouTube.

Original recipe inspiration: source.