Basic Pizza Topping Food

BASIC PIZZA SAUCE

Steps:

• Empty the contents of the tomato can in a mixing bowl and coarsely crush the tomatoes with a fork or your hands, leaving them just a little chunky. In a heavy bottom 2-quart saucepot, add the olive oil, over a medium high flame and heat a little. Add the onions and saute until slightly translucent. Add the garlic and saute about a minute until golden. Quickly add the crushed tomatoes to the mix. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add the fresh basil and oregano. You can add a touch of sugar if desired or if tomatoes are tart. Simmer on a low flame, stirring often for at least 15 minutes. If not using right away, cool down and store in airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 1 week.

20 POPULAR PIZZA TOPPINGS

Steps:

• Follow the Best Pizza Dough or Thin Crust Dough recipe to prepare the dough. (This takes about 15 minutes to make and 45 minutes to rest.) Or use one of the alternate dough methods.*
• Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. OR preheat your pizza oven (here's the pizza oven we use).
• Peel and cut the garlic into a few rough pieces. Place the garlic, fire roasted tomatoes, olive oil, oregano and kosher salt in a blender. Blend until fully combined. (You'll use about 1/3 cup for the pizza; reserve the remaining sauce and refrigerate for up to 1 week.)
• When the oven is ready, dust a pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. (If you don't have a pizza peel, you can use a rimless baking sheet or the back of a rimmed baking sheet. But a pizza peel is well worth the investment!)
• If you're making Thin Crust Dough, place it on a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a circle, adding a pinch of flour if it is too sticky. Then roll out the dough into a circle about 11 inches in diameter, using just enough flour on each side to keep it from sticking. If the dough starts to resist rolling, wait for a minute or two, at which point it will roll out more easily.
• Spread a thin layer of the pizza sauce over the dough, using about 1/3 cup. Add the mozzarella cheese (and if using, goat cheese or other types of cheese). Top with a thin layer of fresh grated Parmesan cheese and a few pinches of kosher salt.
• Use the pizza peel to carefully transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake the pizza until the cheese and crust are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes in the oven (or 1 minute in a pizza oven).
• Allow the pizza to cool for a minute or two before adding the basil leaves on top (whole leaves, lightly torn, or thinly sliced). Slice into pieces and serve immediately.

PIZZA TOPPINGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°C/530°F, or as high as it will go. Place oven shelf in top third of oven.
• Stretch dough to form pizza base and slide onto baking pan.
• Follow topping directions below, then place in oven.
• Turn pizza at 4 minutes so it cooks evenly, and check at 8 minutes (even if recipe says 10 minutes). Take out early if cheese gets too brown.

BASIC PIZZA TOPPING

Steps:

• Spread sauce over dough, leaving a 1/2 inch edge uncovered.
• Sprinkle cheese evenly on top and sprinkle with desired herbs.

PIZZA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan over a low heat, then add the onion along with a generous pinch of salt. Fry gently for 12-15 mins or until the onion has softened and is turning translucent. Add the garlic and fry for a further min. Tip in the tomatoes and purée along with the bay, oregano and sugar. Bring to the boil and lower the heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 30-35 mins or until thickened and reduced. Season. For a really smooth sauce, blitz with a stick blender, otherwise leave as is.
• Stir the basil into the sauce. The sauce will cover 4-6 large pizza bases. Keeps well in the fridge for 1 week or stored in a container in the freezer.