Make Ahead Freezer Pizzas Food

HOW TO MAKE AND FREEZE PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, warm water, and sugar, and let sit for 10 minutes. The liquid should be foamy and bubbly, indicating that the yeast is alive.
• Add the bread flour, olive oil, and salt. Stir using the dough hook or a wooden spoon, until roughly combined. Fit the bowl and the dough hook onto the stand mixer and knead on medium-low speed for 10 minutes, until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for about 30 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size.
• Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into four even pieces. Shape each piece of dough into a ball.
• The dough is now ready to be rolled out and baked, or ready to be frozen.
• To freeze the pizza dough: place the pizza dough balls into resealable plastic bags. Make sure that if you put multiple balls of dough in one bag, you use parchment paper or wax paper to keep them separated.
• To thaw: place the pizza dough in the refrigerator the morning before you want to make dinner, then roll and bake as usual.
• To bake: preheat the oven to 500˚. Roll the thawed (or freshly made) dough and bake each pizza about 10 to 15 minutes.

FREEZE AHEAD BREAKFAST PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine the butter and cheese spread and blend well. Crumble the sausage into a large skillet and cook over medium heat together with the onion until sausage is cooked and onion is tender. Drain well on paper towels. Mix the cooked sausage mixture with the cheese mixture. Spread mixture generously on split side of muffin halves. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Eat right away, if you like.
• Cool the ones you want to freeze and freeze individually on trays. Wrap well and place in heavy duty ziplock freezer bags. To prepare, microwave each pizza for one to two minutes on high power until pizzas are hot and the cheese is melted. 24 pizzas.

BAKE-FROM-THE-FREEZER PIZZAS

Steps:

• Make up the bread dough following pack instructions, and transfer to an oiled bowl to rise for about 1 hr.
• Knock back in the bowl by squashing all the air out of the dough with your fist. Divide the dough into 6 and roll each one on a lightly floured surface to a circle about 18cm in diameter. Put dough you're not using under a damp tea towel or oiled cling film to stop it drying out.
• Put the pizza bases on large oiled baking sheets - you may need 2 or 3. Spread 1 tbsp sauce or passata on each base, then scatter on the basil, tomatoes, mozzarella and Parmesan (or whatever you fancy). You can freeze the pizzas now, if you like, on the baking sheet, wrapped in cling film. Or if eating straight away, heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. Cook for 8-12 mins, until crisp and golden. To cook from frozen, remove the cling film and heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Bake for 10-14 mins until crisp and golden.