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How to make your own Pizza Express Fiorentina: Chain releases the recipe for its ‘controversial’ twist on the classic Margarita during lockdown

  • Pizza Express has released the secret recipe for its Fiorentina Pizza – with egg
  • Fans have rejoiced at the recipe, saying they’ll be quick to make it at home  
  • Pizza can be made in 12 steps, and takes 40 minutes to prepare and 10 to cook
  • It comes after the chain sent fans wild by sharing recipe for its dough balls 
  • Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

Pizza Express fans are delighted after the high street chain releases its recipe for their ‘controversial’ Fiorentina pizza as part of the homemade favourites series. 

The Italian favourite closed all its restaurants four weeks ago, amid the coronavirus pandemic, but now food fans can now recreate the classic pizza using their simple 12-step Margarita base and adding the toppings.  

The delicious dough is made from whipping up flour, yeast, sugar and water, topped with consists of passata, mozzarella cheese and sprinkle of oregano and basil. 

By adding just black olives and blanched spinach in a circular pattern around the edge of the pizza and cracking an egg (an ingredient which makes it controversial) in the middle – budding chefs can transform a simple Margarita into a delicious alternative.   

And for those who are short of time, Pizza Express even advised food fans to use their pre-made Margarita pizza which gives the same show-stopping result. 

Pizza Express released the recipe for its classic Fiorentina pizza using a cracked egg and olives

HOW TO MAKE PIZZA EXPRESS FIORENTINA PIZZA

Prep time: 40 mins | Cooking time: 10 – 12 mins | Makes: 1 large pizza

Ingredients

  • 150ml warm water – around 27 degrees
  •  1 teaspoon of sugar
  • 15g fresh yeast (or 2 level teaspoons of dry yeast)
  • 225g of plain flour (plus extra for working) 
  • 1.5 teaspoons of salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil (and a little for drizzling) 
  •  80g of PizzaExpress passata (or any tomato passata you have) 
  • 70g mozzarella (or any cheese you have)
  • Oregano
  • 1 Basil leaf (if you have one)
  • Black pepper
  • Handful of cooked or blanched spinach
  • 7grms of Parmesan cheese (if you have it) 
  • 6-7 olives (black work best)   
  • One egg
  • Garlic oil (olive oil will do)  

Pizza Express also shared a clip of one of their staff members attempt of making the pizza at home

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C.

2. Add the sugar and crumble the fresh yeast into warm water.

3. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 – 15 minutes in a warm place (we find a windowsill on a sunny day works best) until froth develops on the surface.

4. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil.

5. Lightly flour your hands, and slowly mix the ingredients together until they bind.

6. Generously dust your surface with flour.

7. Throw down the dough and begin kneading for 10 minutes until smooth, silky and soft.

8. Place in a lightly oiled, non-stick baking tray (we use a round one, but any shape will do!)

9. Spread the passata on top making sure you go to the edge.

10. Evenly place the mozzarella (or other cheese) on top, season with the oregano and black pepper, then drizzle with a little olive oil. 

11. Remove a small amount of cheese from the middle of the pizza to make a circular space for your egg

12. Place black olives around the edges of your pizza base 

13. Place spinach around the pizza leaving the middle empty for your egg 

14. Season with oregano and black pepper 

15. Sprinkle some garlic oil over the top 

16. Crack the egg in the middle of the pizza. Tip: For a perfectly cooked yolk, sprinkle some olive oil over the egg before cooking. If you prefer it well done, break the yolk before placing the pizza into the oven. 

17. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 10-11 mins (keeping a close eye on your pizza to get a perfectly cooked egg) 

18. Finish with some grated Parmesan cheese (if you have it)   

19. Eat and enjoy! 

The high street chain posted on its website: ‘How do you feel about egg on your pizza? 

‘Some people think it’s a little controversial, but this recipe has been a staple on our menu for decades. Wanna try? Let’s get cracking!’ 

It comes after the chain released the recipe for its famous dough ball starter.

Pizza Express has served both the Margherita pizza and the dough balls for more than fifty years and have kept the recipe a tightly guarded secret in that time.

But it has followed McDonald’s and Greggs in taking the unprecedented step of sharing top-secret recipes for the very first time. 

Due to an outpouring of love from food fans over the spilled secrets,  the chain is now set to release a recipe for one menu item every Sunday, with either 

Fans couldn’t contain their excitement at the release of the Fiorentina recipe and claimed how it is their ‘favourite Pizza Express pizza every time’.  

Sally Lyall said: ‘Planning to make pizza tomorrow so perfect timing.’ 

Fans couldn’t contain their excitement at the release of the Fiorentina recipe and claimed how it is their ‘favourite Pizza Express pizza every time’

Pizza Express have shared how to make their famous dough balls at home as their restaurants closed their doors amid the coronavirus pandemic

HOW TO MAKE PIZZA EXPRESS DOUGH BALLS 

FOR THE DOUGH BALLS (makes 2 portions)

Ingredients  

  • 150ml warm water – roughly 27 degrees
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • 15g fresh yeast (or 2 level teaspoons of dry yeast)
  • 225g of plain flour (plus extra for working)
  • 1.5 teaspoons of salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. First up, preheat the oven to 230C / 210C fan assisted

2. Add the sugar and crumble the fresh yeast into the warm water. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 – 15 minutes in a warm place until froth develops on the surface

3. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour the yeast mixture in

4. Lightly flour your hands and slowly mix the ingredients together until they bind

5. Generously dust your surface with flour, throw down the dough and begin kneading for 10 minutes until smooth, silky and soft. Leave dough to rest until soft to the touch but not too springy

6. Roll dough into a 1.2m long tube. Chop into 16 chunks and place in an oven proof pan. Leave the Dough Balls to rest in the pan for 30 mins

7. Make sure the oven has reached temperature and bake for 6 minutes until golden

FOR THE GARLIC BUTTER

Ingredients  

    • 10ml extra virgin olive oil 
    • 4 teaspoons of butter
    • 0.5 teaspoons of chopped garlic

    Method:

    1. Blend olive oil and chopped garlic into a paste. Pour over butter and blend with a spoon

    Due to an outpouring of love of the Fiorentina (pictured) from food fans over the spilled secrets, the chain is now set to release a recipe for one menu item every Sunday, with a Calzone pizza or a Leggera pizza next week

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