Easy Pizza Base No Need To Prove Food

QUICK PEPPERONI PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and place a large baking tray upside-down on a shelf.
• To make the dough, sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the salt and a pinch of pepper, then stir in the oil. Make a well in the centre, then stir in the warm water and mix to a soft dough, drawing the flour in from the side of the bowl a little at a time - you might need to add another 25ml/1fl oz water if the dough is a little dry; you want it to be slightly sticky and soft.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 2 minutes, until smooth and springy.
• Place a sheet of greaseproof paper on the work surface, then dust with a little flour and place the dough on top of it. Carefully roll the dough out into a 30cm/12in disc, roughly the thickness of a pound coin. Pick the paper up and carefully slide it onto the hot baking tray in the oven. Bake for 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the passata into a bowl, then add the tomato purée, mixed herbs and sea salt and black pepper and mix.
• Remove the dough tray from the oven. Cover the base with the tomato sauce, using the back of a spoon, leaving a small gap around the edges of the dough. Scatter the mozzarella over the tomato sauce, then top with the pepperoni and cheddar (you can add any other toppings you fancy at this point - see tips below.)
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until the base has puffed up and is cooked through and the cheese is golden and bubbling. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

SOURDOUGH PIZZA

Steps:

• Make a batch of our white sourdough, following the recipe to the end of step 10. When the dough is ready, tip it onto a lightly floured surface and divide into six equal pieces. Roll into balls and leave to rest on a floured tray, covered with a damp teatowel, in the fridge for at least 4 hrs, and up to 18 hrs - the longer you leave the dough, the more sour it will taste.
• Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Drain some of the juice from the plummed tomatoes and tip the rest into a bowl with the olive oil, oregano and a generous pinch of salt. Combine by either scrunching everything together with your fingers (this will make a chunky sauce) or blitz with a stick blender (this will make a smooth sauce). Chill until needed.
• To make the pizzas, heat a grill to high and prepare an ovenproof frying pan. On a floured surface, push and stretch a ball of dough into a circle roughly the same size as the pan. Get the pan very hot, then working quickly and carefully, drape it into the pan, spread over some of the sauce, a handful of mozzarella and some basil, if using.
• Cook for 2 mins, until little bubbles appear, then put the pan under the grill for another 2-4 mins until the sides are puffed up and the cheese has melted. Remove, drizzle with a little olive oil and cut into wedges. Repeat with the remaining dough.

PIZZA WITH HOMEMADE SAUCE

Steps:

• Tip the flour into a bowl, then stir in the yeast and 1 tsp salt. Make a well in the centre and pour in 200ml warm water (make sure it's not too hot) along with the oil. Stir together with a wooden spoon until you have a soft, fairly wet dough.
• Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth. Cover with a tea towel and set aside for an hour or so or until the dough has puffed up and doubled in size. You can also leave the rough, unkneaded dough in the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave in the fridge overnight and the dough will continue to prove on its own.
• Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Put the oil in a small pan and fry the garlic briefly (don't let it brown), then add the passata and simmer everything until the sauce thickens a little. Leave to cool.
• Once the dough has risen, knead it quickly in the bowl to knock it back, then tip out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into two balls. Roll out each ball into a large teardrop that is very thin and about 25cm across (teardrop shapes fit baking sheets more easily than rounds).
• Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/ gas 9 with a large baking sheet inside. Lift one of the bases onto another floured baking sheet. Smooth the sauce over the base with the back of a spoon, scatter over half the mozzarella, drizzle with olive oil and season. Put the pizza, still on its baking sheet, on top of the hot sheet in the oven and bake for 8-10 mins until crisp.

SIMPLE PIZZA BASE

Steps:

• Put the flour, yeast and 1 tsp salt into a large bowl. Stir in 500ml of slightly warm water and the oil. You should end up with a wettish dough that is rough and lumpy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover with a tea towel and if your kitchen is cool keep it out, but if it's warm put it in the bottom of the fridge. Leave dough to rise for at least 6 hrs or until doubled in size.
• When ready to cook, bring the dough to room temperature. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Dust 2-4 baking sheets with semolina. Dust the work surface with flour, then divide the dough into 2 or 4 pieces. Knead each piece on the floured surface, incorporating enough flour to stop the dough being sticky.
• Roll each piece into a pizza shape and lift onto baking sheets. Leave to rise for 10 mins while you sort toppings (see ideas, below). Top the bases with your chosen ingredients, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and bake following the timings for each topping (18 mins for a large pizza or 12 mins for an individual) or until the crust is crisp and the topping is bubbling.

NO YEAST PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Mix together 350g flour, 2 ¾ tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt in a small bowl, add 1 tbsp oil and 170ml water then stir until it forms a ball. If stiff, add more water, it should be soft but not sticky.
• Knead on a floured surface for 3-4 mins. Roll into 2 balls, then flatten out.
• Add toppings and bake each on a baking sheet for 15 mins.

EASY PIZZA BASE - NO NEED TO PROVE

Steps:

• Combine the yeast, flour, sugar & salt in a bowl.
• Add water & oil.
• Mix with a metal spoon until dough comes together.
• Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 - 7 minutes or until elastic.
• Roll out to 3/4 cm thick.
• Bake in a 220 degree celcius fan forced oven for 10-12 minutes.
• Note: You can brush the base with a little garlic oil if you are going to bake the base first before putting your pizza ingredients on (this gives a crispier base).
• Alternatively you can load your pizza toppings on the unbaked base, which will give you a lovely softer pizza base.

QUICK AND EASY PIZZA CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker's peel dusted with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.

EASY AND AWESOME PIZZA BASE RECIPE

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and leave for 5 minutes.
• While waiting, sift the flour into your mixing bowl. Add the salt & oil.
• Once a foam has formed on the yeasty water pour it in and start mixing. Add more water as required (varies depending on climate, humidity etc.) until the dough feels like a young woman's breast. I was taught this by a baker many years ago and while it sounds rude, it really is the easiest way to describe how a good dough should feel. Now clean your mixing bowl.
• This next part, while not vital, does make a noticeable difference. Rub oil around the surface of the dough, put it in your clean mixing bowl and stick it in the fridge. Leave it there for as long as possible (24 hours is best but 6 hours is ok). If you don't have time for the fridge don't stress - just skip it and move on.
• If you used the fridge you will have noticed your dough rose, albeit slowly. Take your dough out of the fridge and let it rise some more.
• Once risen pound the crap out of it to flatten it again but don't knead it too much. Cut your dough into 3 or 4 balls, roll them flat, fold them up and roll them again. This creates air pockets which expand giving your base the authentic 5 star Italian wood-fired look and feel in the comfort of your own home. If the dough begins to feel tough while you're working it, let it rest for 5 minutes. It's just the gluten tightening up and resting it relaxes it.
• Top your bases and cook for 10 minutes or so. If you make thicker bases it often pays to partly cook the base for 5 min then top and bake again.
• Enjoy!