Ingredients

• 24 baby plum tomatoes
• cut lengthways into quarters
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp thyme leaves
• freshly ground black pepper
• 500g/1lb 2oz strong white flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 packet instant-action dried yeast
• 300ml/11fl oz tepid water
• 1 large bunch basil
• leaves only
• 90g/3½oz pine nuts
• toasted
• 60g/2½oz parmesan
• finely grated
• 1 garlic clove
• 75ml/3fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• 1 bulb garlic
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion
• finely sliced
• 110g/4oz roasted red peppers
• thickly sliced
• 2 large buffalo mozzarella
• torn into pieces
• 75g/3oz mature cheddar
• coarsely grated
• 1 large handful rocket leaves

Directions

• For the roast tomatoes
• preheat the oven to 100F/200F/Gas1.
• Place the tomatoes
• cut-side up
• onto a baking tray
• drizzle over the olive oil and then sprinkle with the salt and thyme and some freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the oven for 1½ hours
• or until the tomatoes have dried but are still succulent. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and set aside to cool.
• For the pizza dough
• mix the flour
• salt
• sugar and yeast in a large bowl until well combined.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the water
• mixing to form a soft and slightly sticky dough.
• Tip the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a bowl
• cover with cling film and leave to rise for one hour in a warm place.
• Meanwhile
• for the pesto
• blanch the basil leaves in a pan of boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and refresh in iced water. Drain again
• squeeze out any excess water
• then roughly chop.
• Put the chopped basil leaves in a pestle and mortar with the toasted pine nuts
• parmesan and garlic and pound to a paste. Stir in the olive oil.
• Preheat the oven to 230C/475F/Gas 9. Place a heavy baking tray or pizza stone in the oven.
• Place the whole garlic bulb onto the tray and bake for 15-20 minutes
• or until soft. Remove the garlic from the oven and set aside to cool slightly
• return the baking tray to the oven. Squeeze the roasted garlic flesh into a bowl.
• For the topping
• blend half of the roast tomatoes and two tablespoons of olive oil to a fine purée.
• Remove the pizza dough from the bowl and knead for a minute
• then divide into four pieces. Roll one piece of dough out to a thickness of 0.5cm/¼in and place onto an upturned
• floured baking tray.
• Spoon the tomato purée thinly over the pizza dough
• top with some of the remaining tomato quarters
• red onion slices
• red peppers
• roasted garlic
• mozzarella and cheddar. Drizzle over the remaining olive oil and a little pesto. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Carefully transfer the pizza from the tray onto the preheated baking tray in the oven and cook for 5-10 minutes
• or until the pizza base is cooked and the cheese is bubbling and golden-brown. Scatter over the rocket leaves. Repeat with the remaining pieces of pizza dough and topping ingredients.