How to format new internal HDD on MacBook Pro I have just replaced the original HDD in my late 2011 MacBook Pro with an SSD. 

I did the Command-Option-R startup procedure to install the OS from scratch, however when I try to use disk utility to reformat the disk it just shows up the 2GB internet restore partition disk1s1. 

If I open the terminal and execute te command diskutil list I can however see the new disk disk1 at 1.1TB. 

How can I reformat the new drive so I can install the (latest) OS?
Unfortunately, the Disk Utility UI included in Mac OS has become almost unusable (as you have discovered), but the grunt work can still be done in the Terminal. 

If you're willing to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty, visit this page from AppleGazette: http://www.applegazette.com/mac/pro-terminal-commands-using-diskutil/

I would first try simply erasing the disk and see if that gets you where you need to be. On the aforementioned web page, scroll down to the "Format and Erase Drives with diskutil" section and read about formatting and reformatting. Give that a try first and see what happens.

If you have problems with formatting/reformatting, try partitioning the drive instead. To do so, scroll down to the "Partition Drives with diskutil" section and follow the instructions. If done correctly, this should partition your drive and format it in just one step.

Good luck!