My midweek cheats pizza uses a fresh ready made flat garlic bread for the base. It is so nice, it is so easy and the garlic butter keeps it moist and gives it a gorgeous taste. If you don’t fancy garlic bread then just buy a nice stone baked pizza base.

Ingredients
2 flat garlic breads or pizza base 
1 onion, finely chopped 
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
½ tsp chilli flakes 
2 tbsp tomato purée  
1 tin of chopped or pulped tomatoes 
Salt and pepper 
1 tsp mixed herbs or mixed Italian herbs, lightly crushed between your fingers 
1 tsp sugar  
250g mozzarella 
Basil leaves or rocket 
Parmesan  

~ A variety of toppings 

Method
Preheat your oven to at least 220c. If you have a pizza stone put it in now - otherwise preheat a baking sheet. 

Start by making the tomato pizza base sauce.  Put 1 tbsp of olive oil into a small saucepan. Add the onion and cook on a medium heat until it is translucent, 5-7 minutes.  Then add the garlic and cook for another few minutes.  I LOVE garlic but if you don’t love then just put in 1 clove.  Add the chilli flakes and tomato purée, stir and cook for a few minutes.  Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar and crushed mixed herbs and cook for 20-30 minutes until reduced and thicker.

Cut the mozzarella and put it on kitchen towel to dry out and I change the kitchen roll a few times.  The reason I like to do that is often fresh mozzarella on pizza in a commercial oven just has lots of liquid come out of it and makes the whole thing a little soggy.  Leave this drying while the sauce reduces.

In a small processor blitz the sauce until smooth. This step is optional. Just take care if your sauce is hot.

When you are ready to put your pizza together, put the tomato sauce on the bottom, put on your toppings and top with your mozzarella. 

When your pizza comes out, top with some fresh basil or rocket and some fresh Parmesan.