DIY Pizza Diavola With Pepperoni

Preheat the oven to 240ºC/ 220ºC (fan)/ gas 9

Put a large baking tray (or two!) in the oven to heat up (this will stop the pizza bottom[s] from going soggy!)

Add your dried yeast to a large bowl with 100ml [150ml] [200ml] warm water and 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar

Give it a good mix up and set aside for 5-10 min for the yeast to develop

Meanwhile, slice your green chilli[es] into rounds

Add the chilli rounds to a small bowl with your white wine vinegar and a large pinch of salt and sugar and set aside to pickle – these are your quick-pickled chillies

Slice your black olives in half

Pick your basil leaves from their stems, discard the stems

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Add your tomato paste to a bowl with the chopped garlic and a generous pinch of salt, pepper and sugar

Add 4 tbsp [6 tbsp] [8 tbsp] cold water and stir it all together – this is your tomato sauce

Drain your mozzarella, then pat and squeeze as much liquid out as you can with kitchen paper

Tear the drained mozzarella into rough, bite-sized pieces

Add your pizza base mix to the bowl with the yeast

Gradually add up to 75ml [110ml] [150ml] warm water (you may not need all of it) to the bowl, a little at a time, and gently mix with a plastic spatula until a sticky dough ball has formed

Tip the dough ball out onto a floured work surface and cut into 1 ball per person

Toss each dough ball in a light dusting of flour until coated, rounding the ball as you go (no need to knead!)

Press each dough ball in the centre and gently push outwards with your fingertips, leaving the rim of the pizza untouched to form a crust (don't worry if the dough rips, just stick it back together and carry on!)

Tip: Dust with extra sprinkles of flour as you go to stop it sticking!

Keep going until your base is slightly smaller than a side plate (you will make them bigger in the pan!) – this is your pizza base[s]

Heat a large, dry, wide-based pan (or two!) (preferably non-stick) over a high heat

Once hot, carefully add the pizza base[s] to the pan[s], pushing the dough out to the edge to help shape the crust

Tip: To pick up the pizza dough, gently flip it over the back of your hand to stop it ripping!

Divide the tomato sauce evenly between each pizza and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon (be careful of the hot pan!)

Cook the pizza base[s] for 3-4 min or until the crust has started to puff up, then remove the heated tray[s] from the oven and slide the pizza base[s] onto the tray[s]

Repeat this process for the remaining pizza base[s]

Tip: Cooking for 2 or more? Make sure the pizzas don't overlap on the tray to avoid raw dough!

Top the pizza base with your dried oregano, torn mozzarella and pepperoni slices then scatter over the quick-pickled chillies (can't handle the heat? Go easy!), chopped olives and basil leaves

Drizzle the crust with olive oil, then put the tray[s] in the oven for 12-15 min or until the cheese has melted and the crust has puffed up and browned