David Higgs’s ultimate pizza

Restaurant quality pizza from scratch in a home oven? David Higgs has all the secrets! From the perfect puffy base to flavour-packed toppings this is the ultimate pizza recipe to try this summer.

1. Preheat the oven to 280°C. For the best results, use a pizza stone preheated the for 1 hour.

2. To make the dough, combine the yeast, sugar and water with a whisk until the yeast dissolves. To activate the yeast, place the bowl in a warm area of the kitchen, the yeast mixture will begin to bubble in 2–3 minutes. It’s now ready to use.

3. Place the flour and salt in large mixing bowl. Create a well in the centre of the flour, then add the yeast mixture and the olive oil. Combine the ingredients in a stand mixer, using the dough hook. Work the dough at a moderate speed until all the ingredients are incorporated and it starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. This is a sticky dough, don’t add more flour. The hydration in this recipe is what makes the dough great for a crispy pizza crust and chewy base.

4. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl and gently transfer the dough ball into the bowl, drizzling it with oil to prevent it from sticking. Cover the bowl with a clean dishcloth. Prove the dough for about one hour in a warm place until it doubles in size.

5. Once the dough has doubled in size, gently remove the dough from the bowl and place onto a generously floured surface. Fold the dough ball in half once. Do not overwork the dough. At this stage you can either place the dough into a large bowl, lightly dusted with flour, cover in clingwrap and place in the fridge for up to 2 days, or shape the dough into pizza using the palms of your hands or a rolling pin.

6. Arrange the toppings on the pizza. Place the pizza in the oven onto the pizza stone and bake at 280°C for 5–10 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the mozzarella has melted.

7. To serve, arrange thin slices of avocado, fresh basil and fresh chilli onto each slice.

Cook's Note: Use a pizza stone. Preheat the oven to 280°C and preheat the pizza stone for about an hour for the best result.

Yeast needs warmth (warm water), food (sugar) and moisture (warm water) to activate. Always handle the dough gently. Once the dough has proved, you don’t want to squash out all the air/gas within the dough, which causes the dough to rise.

Chorizo doesn’t like aggressive heat, thinly slice it to prevent it from becoming chewy.

Find more pizza recipes here. 

Videography: Fred Wollner,  John Taylor