
This easy thin crust Pizza Express Margherita is ready in 45 minutes and delivers that family-friendly, authentic restaurant taste right at home. Featuring a simple homemade dough, rich passata, and creamy mozzarella, it perfectly captures the iconic Italian classic. Skip the takeout and enjoy a crispy, fresh pizza straight from your own oven.
Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) and place a pizza stone or a heavy inverted baking sheet inside to heat up.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the warm water, instant yeast, and sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the mixture appears slightly frothy.
Stir the all-purpose flour, sea salt, and olive oil into the yeast mixture until a shaggy dough begins to form.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
While the dough rests, mix the tomato passata with the dried oregano and a pinch of salt in a small bowl to create your simple pizza sauce.
Roll or gently stretch the rested dough out into a thin 10 to 12-inch circle, ensuring the edges are slightly thicker to form a crust.
Carefully transfer the stretched dough to a piece of parchment paper to make transferring to the oven easier. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the base, leaving a half-inch border around the edges.
Distribute the torn fresh mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the sauced dough.
Carefully slide the pizza (on the parchment paper) onto the preheated stone or baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and slightly blistered.
Remove the pizza from the oven, top immediately with the freshly torn basil leaves, slice, and serve hot for the ultimate homestyle pizzeria experience.





