For the tomato sauce

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 1 x 400g (14oz) tin good-quality chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the base

• 500g (1lb 2oz) strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 10g (¼oz) salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 1 teaspoon instant dried yeast
• 320ml (11fl oz) lukewarm water

For the topping (per pizza)

• 3–4 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 1 ball of mozzarella, torn
• 100g (3½oz) chestnut or Portobello mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 1⁄2 small red onion, sliced thinly
• 75g (2½oz) blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 or 3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
• extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

First, make the sauce. Heat a medium pan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil and, when hot, add the sliced garlic. Sizzle the garlic for 30 seconds or so, then add the chopped tomatoes, half a tin of water, the sugar and the bay leaf. Cook, stirring regularly, for 30–40 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

While the sauce is cooking, start the base. Place the flour, salt and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a dough hook. In a jug, combine the yeast with the water and whisk to dissolve. Pour this over the flour and switch on the machine. Allow it to run for 4–5 minutes, until the dough is soft, smooth and pliable. (Alternatively, roll up your sleeves and knead your dough by hand for 10–12 minutes on a lightly floured work surface.)

Lightly grease a bowl with olive oil and pop in the dough. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow the dough to prove for 3–4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 240°C/475°F/gas mark 8, if it goes that high, or at least 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7. Place a baking sheet or pizza stone (or three if you have room) inside to warm up.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knock it back, then let it rest for a minute or two before dividing into three. Dust the dough with more flour, then roll out each ball nice and thinly. Carefully remove the hot sheet or pizza stone from the oven and lay a piece of rolled dough onto it. Then, top the pizza as quickly as you can. I’d suggest, tomato sauce first, then mozzarella, mushrooms, onion, blue cheese and thyme. Finally, give the whole lot a generous trickle of olive oil and season well. Bake the pizza for 10–12 minutes, or until crisp and golden at the edges – even a little charred in places. Serve straight away, and repeat with the remaining dough.