1. First make Basic Pizza Dough. Combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Stir in combined water and half of oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until dough becomes too firm to stir. Using hands, continue working to make a ball of dough then turn dough out onto a floured surface.

2. Knead dough with hands until smooth and elastic. Alternatively use an electric mixer with a dough hook and knead on low speed for 3 minutes.

3. Coat a large bowl with remaining oil and add dough, turning to grease all over. Cover with gladwrap and a clean tea-towel. Leave in a warm place for 1 hour, until mixture has doubled in size. Turn out to a lightly floured surface, knock down and knead very lightly.

4. Preheat oven to 220°C. Preheat two pizza stones or grease two pizza pans or baking trays. Process tomatoes and olive oil until smooth and strain through a fine sieve lined with paper towel to drain away excess watery liquid. Halve dough and pat out each piece to a 30cm round. To help stretch out the dough the traditional way is hold up the slightly patted out round with both hands and let the dough fall away from hands, stretching it out in the process.

5. Place on trays or pans and gently press, pat and push dough outwards until it reaches the edges, forming a thick rim on the outside.

6. Spread drained fresh tomato puree on pizza bases, leaving a 1cm border around edges. Sprinkle with basil and top with cherry tomato halves, if using. Top with mozzarella slices. Bake for 8 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and the edges are golden brown.

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Did you know? Pizza Margherita was created in 1889 by pizza maker Raffaele Esposito as a tribute to the Queen of Italy, Margherita di Savoia, because its ingredients represent the colours of the Italian flag.