Making the dough

Add flour and water into a large bowl.

Add yeast and salt to opposite sides of the bowl.

Mix well by hand until the dough begins to come together.

Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly for 5-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Lightly grease the bowl and place the dough inside.

Cover the bowl with a tea towel and prove for 1 hour until doubled in size.

Dividing and proving

Lightly flour a baking tray.

Gently knead the dough to knock out excess air.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces.

Shape each piece into a ball and place on the prepared baking tray.

Prove for 30 minutes until the dough has risen.

Shaping the dough

Shape each dough ball into a disc about 28 cm (11" in diameter), ensuring there is a defined crust around the edge.

Use as desired.

Tip: Once your dough has been shaped into balls, it can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days before using. Simply remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to come up to room temperature before shaping and baking.

Choosing the Right Flour for Pizza Dough

Strong white bread flour is the key to a proper pizza dough. Unlike plain flour, it's higher in protein, which is exactly what you want when you knead: it builds a stronger, more elastic dough that stretches easily into a thin base without tearing or snapping back. The result is a crust with real bite to it, crisp on the outside and pleasantly chewy inside, rather than something flat and cakey.

If strong bread flour isn't available, plain flour will still make a dough, but don't expect the same stretch or the same texture once baked. For the best results, stick with strong white bread flour, or swap in Italian Tipo '00' flour if you want a slightly softer, more delicate crumb.

Topping Your Pizza Dough

Start with a good tomato sauce rather than shop-bought passata straight from the jar. Our tomato pizza base sauce recipe is quick to make and gives a much more concentrated, well-seasoned base than most ready-made options. Spread it thinly over the shaped dough, leaving the rim clear.

For a classic Margherita, keep it simple with fresh mozzarella and a few torn basil leaves. Pepperoni is always a popular choice or try ham and mushroom for something more traditional. If you fancy something richer, go for a four-cheese pizza with a mix of mozzarella, cheddar, gorgonzola and parmesan.

Baking Your Pizza

Once topped, your pizza is ready for the oven. If you have one, you can use the Kenwood My Pizzeria pizza oven, which reaches much higher temperatures than a standard oven and bakes a stonebaked pizza in as little as 4 minutes for a crisp base and bubbling cheese. It's compact and portable, with a removable stone and stainless-steel peels, so it fits easily on the countertop.

If you're using a conventional oven, preheat it to its highest setting, ideally around 250°C, with a pizza stone or heavy baking tray inside. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted.