Pizza Pizza Pizza !

What can I say about pizza…it is the ultimate comfort food…Love it so much…. Quite straightforward to make your own, and great to get the kids involved to make their own too. Everyone has their own recipe and I am sure many Italians would disagree with mine, but it works for me! It’s a regular staple in our household.

I always make enough dough for 3- 4 bases, and then freeze them wrapped in oiled clingfilm ready to use. They only take a few hours to defrost at room temperature. It would probably make sense to freeze them ready shaped flat…but they would not fit in the freezer I have!

Ingredients: makes 3 large bases, or 4 medium ones

For the dough:

• 600 g strong white flour
• 1 teaspoon dried yeast
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 350 ml water

For the Tomato sauce (makes enough for 3-4 bases):

• 2 tines peeled tomatoes
• 2-3 sliced garlic cloves
• A good lug of olive oil (approx. 4 tablespoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Toppings: Whatever you like… although you do want dried oregano to sprinkle on prior to baking

My favourites are:

• Very finely sliced red onion, mushroom and ham or bacon pieces, and mozzarella ball torn up.
• Sausage meat rolled into 1 cm balls, red onion, chili, green pepper, mozzarella and crushed fennel seeds topped with an egg.
• Mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil leaves
• Finely sliced vegetables of your choice and mozzarella

Method for the tomato sauce:

1. Gently heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the garlic slices until they are softened, band very slightly golden.

2. Add the tins of tomatoes, salt and sugar. Mash up with a wooden spoon or potato masher and reduce down to a thick consistency. Set aside.

Method for the dough:

1. Mix ingredients and knead well until smooth.

2. Leave to rise in a warm place covered with oiled clingfilm for 10-15 minutes.

3. Knead again well and rise again warm for 10-15 minutes.

4. At this stage the dough can be divided up into 3 (or 4 if you prefer). Any dough not getting used at this point can be wrapped in oiled clingfilm and frozen. It will take a 2-3 hours to defrost next time you want it.

5. Roll or stretch a portion of dough into a circle (it will need a bit of flour to prevent it sticking) to the size of pizza you want to make. The kids like getting involved at that point to make their own, to whatever size and shape they like!

6. Place on a well oiled pizza tray, cover with oiled clingfilm and rise again warm for minimum 20 minutes.

7. Assemble your pizza. You only need about 3 tablespoons tomato sauce per pizza or the base end up soggy. Not too much anyway. Add your preferred toppings, and a very generous sprinkling of dried oregano, a lug of olive oil, salt and pepper.

8. Bake for approximately 10 minutes at 200 C. I sometimes crack an egg on top either at the start if you prefer it fully cooked, or mid- way if you like it runny.

9. Take out of the oven, slide onto a board and slice up!

10. Enjoy 🙂

Variation: Stuffed crust pizza

Another option is to roll your dough out slightly wider than your pizza tray and put some mozzarella or any good melting cheese within the folded edge to make a cheese stuffed crust pizza 👌 Bake as normal

Another Variation: Calzone pizza

One option is to do your pizza toppings as per usual (I like tomato sauce, finely sliced red onion, mushroom, ham, mozzarella, black pepper, oregano and a cracked egg ), fold the dough into a half moon shape, seal. Brush with olive oil and bake at 220-240 C for 15 minutes until the surface is golden.

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Hope you enjoy making this! Leave me a comment if you give it a try. Thank you for reading 🙂