Frying pan pizza

Method

1. Crumble the yeast into the tepid water, then add the sugar and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix well, then leave for 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
2. Add the flour to the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attached (see Know-how). Pour in the yeast mixture, then mix with a spoon until the mixture comes together. Mix on a slow speed until a dough forms and there are no more clumps of dry flour. Turn off the mixer and leave for 15 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate and the gluten to strengthen, then add the salt
3. At a medium speed, knead the dough for 8 minutes until it comes away from the sides of the bowl and is springy, elastic and tacky. Turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a rough rectangle. Fold the top edge over itself, followed by the left edge, then the right, then the bottom. Grease your mixing bowl with a little olive oil, then transfer the dough seam-side down to the bowl. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour to rise.
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4. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the oil and garlic in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a sizzle and cook the garlic for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the basil and sizzle for a further minute. Tip in the tomatoes, crushing them with your hands or a fork as you go, then season with a pinch of salt. Leave to gently simmer (uncovered) for 30 minutes until jammy, then whizz with a stick blender or in a jug blender and leave to cool.
5. After an hour, turn out the dough, repeat the folding technique in step 3, then return to the bowl, cover and leave for a further hour.
6. Turn out the dough, knock it back (knead very briefly to get rid of any large air bubbles) and divide into 4. Pick up each piece and use your hands to stretch it into a taut ball, taking the edges and tucking them underneath, leaving the seam side touching the work surface. Drizzle the dough with oil, loosely cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove for a final hour.
7. Now it’s time to assemble the pizzas. Turn the grill to high and put the ovenproof frying pan over a high heat on the hob. Start stretching out a portion of dough until it’s the same size as your pan. Try to keep the edges slightly thicker than the centre. 8 Carefully but confidently transfer your dough into the hot frying pan. Spread 1 heaped tbsp of sauce evenly across the dough, then add your chosen toppings (remember: less is more). Cook for 3-4 minutes – you should see the base start to puff up and the dough dry out.
8. Transfer the pan to the grill, as close to the heat as you can, and cook for 4-6 minutes or until the crusts are blistered and the cheese is bubbling and golden. Add any final toppings, leave to rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve. Repeat with the remaining pizzas. The pizzas are best served straightaway, but if you want to serve them all at once you can keep them warm on the bottom shelf of the oven, with the grill on above.