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Pizza Dough
1 packet dry yeast
1½ cups warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups white flour
Pour the warm water in a large mixing bowl.
Add the sugar and yeast.
Stir the mixture until dissolved.
Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes to let the yeast mature.
Add the salt and olive oil and stir again to combine the ingredients.
Add up to 3 cups of flour one at a time whisking after each addition. By now the dough mixture should be fairly thick. Add the last cup and flour and, with your hands, begin to combine and knead the dough.
You may need to add a dusting of flour from time to time to reduce the stickiness of the dough. The dough is ready when the ball no longer sticks to your hands. Knead the dough for between 5-8 minutes. Place in a oiled bowl and rub over a little olive oil (to stop the drying out). Cover tightly with plastic or a damp clean tea-towel and set it in a warm place. It will take about 1 to 1 ½ hours for the dough to rise, depending on how warm the environment is. It will be ready when it has doubled in size.
Take the dough out of the bowl and cut in half. You should have enough for 2 x 30cm pizzas. Take each portion and mold them into balls. Smoothing the outer surface, tucking each ball into itself from underneath. You need to allow the dough to " rise” again at this point. They can be placed in a bowl or tray, covered, to "rest" for an additional 15 or 20 minutes in a warm place.
Some recipes suggest an additional hour of rising, but for pizza dough, it is not necessary o complete second rise cycle as you would if making bread.
Pizza Blanco
Oven temp required approx: 320-360oC
Cooking time approx: 5-6mins
Preparation time: 15mins
Makes approx : 6 servings
1 qty pizza dough
2 med potatoes sliced finely
3 brown onions (caramelised)
1 garlic cloves crushed
1½ tablespoons fresh rosemary
100g feta or goats cheese (optional)
Parmesan, goats or tasty cheese, grated
60ml Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Slice and caramelise the onions in a pan with olive oil and half the rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Put aside. Roll out your pizza dough. Spread over the onion mixture to completely cover the base. Place the potato evenly over the onion and sprinkle with the remaining rosemary. Add your selection of cheese and season a little with pepper. This is a favourite, so simple yet so delicious.
Smoked Tuna and Artichoke Pizza
Oven temp required approx: 320-360oC
Cooking time approx: 5-6mins
Preparation time: 15mins
Makes approx : 6 servings
1 qty of pizza dough
1/3 cup tomato pizza sauce
1 tin of natural smoked tuna
2 brown onions (caramelised)
1 roasted red capsicum
1 roasted garlic clove
50ml marinated artichoke
fresh grated pecorino
½ cup rocket
NOTE: Both capsicum and garlic keep very well in a sterilised jar in the fridge. I tend to roast 5kg of capsicum and a bag of garlic at any one time. This is just so easy and I always have some at hand.
Place your capsicum and garlic clove (skin on) in the oven and roast slowly until tender. Peel the skin away from the capsicum and the roasted garlic while still warm. Slice and caramelise the onions in a pan with olive oil until golden. Place aside. Roll out pizza dough and cover with tomato sauce. Next spread the base with onions, garlic and capsicum. Drain all liquid from the can of tuna (to avoid pizza becoming soggy).
Place tuna and artichoke evenly over the pizza. Sprinkle with your selection of cheese and season with cracked black pepper. Its ready to go into the oven.
Before serving add a handful of rocket on top of the pizza for a little colour and freshness.
M & M Pizza (Meat & Mushroom)
Oven temp required approx: 320-360oC
Cooking time approx: 5-6mins
Preparation time: 15mins
Makes approx : 6 servings
1 qty of pizza dough
4 sliced button mushrooms
2 sliced Swiss brown mushrooms
6 slices of salami
1 chorizo sausage, cooked and sliced
½ cup ground beef, cooked
½ brown onion, sliced
Tomato pizza sauce (optional: add ½ teaspoon of crushed dried chilli flakes to sauce)
Mozzarella cheese
Sprinkling Italian herbs
Slice the mushrooms, sausage and onion and set aside.
Roll out your pizza dough and spread over the sauce. Next place the onion, ground beef, salami and mushrooms place the chorizo on last. Sprinkle with cheese and Italian herb. Season with cracked black pepper. Good to go. YUM!
Roasted Vegetable and Olive Supreme
Oven temp required approx: 320-360oC
Cooking time approx: 5-6mins
Preparation time: 25mins
Makes approx : 8 servings
1 qty of pizza dough
Olive pesto (substitute: for basil pesto)
1 roasted red capsicum
¼ cup roasted pumpkin
2 cloves roasted garlic
1 roasted eggplant
½ leek, sautéed
Feta cheese
Roasted all vegies in olive oil and season with sea salt and cracked pepper until tender. Sauté the leeks in a pan and allow to cool. Roll out your pizza base and spread over olive pesto and leeks. Slightly chop the vegies into bite size pieces (this allows for easier cutting and eating) add to base. Top with chunks of feta cheese.
Really tasty, also great served cold the morning after.
Just before serving add a handful of baby spinach leaves for a crunchy twist.
Butter Chicken Pizza
Oven temp required approx: 320-360oC
Cooking time approx: 5-6mins
Preparation time: 15mins
Makes approx : 6 servings
1 qty of pizza dough
1 chicken breast
butter chicken marinade
½ cup natural Greek yoghurt
1 small Spanish onion, sliced
2 fresh Roma tomatoes, sliced
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes
Tasty cheddar cheese
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Mix the yoghurt and butter chicken marinade together in a mixing bowl. Place in the chicken fillet and coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. If you don’t have the time to allow overnight a couple of hours in the fridge is fine.
In a pan heat a little olive oil and cook the chicken adding all the remaining marinade.
While the chicken is cooking slice the onions and fresh tomatoes discard any tomato juices, as this will just make the pizza soggy. Roll out the pizza base and put aside. Allow the chicken to cool slightly then shred into pieces. There should be enough sauce over the chicken to base the pizza so sauce is not required. Place the chicken, then onions, tomato, sun dried tomato and cheese. Season with cracked black pepper
Serve with a dollop of yoghurt.
Additions: Artichoke, capsicum, champignons, rocket, roasted sweet potato or a handful of cashew nuts.
Calzone
Oven temp required: 320-360oC
Cooking time approx: 8-10mins
Preparation time: 15mins
Makes approx : Serves 2-4
1 qty pizza dough
Sliced mettwurst, shredded ham
Tomato paste or pasta sauce to preference
Grated cheeses (mix of cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan is good)
Shredded capsicum
Olives, anchovies, herbs to taste
Roll dough out to a pizza sized circle. Spread tomato paste or sauce thinly over dough. Spread other ingredients over one half of dough, moisten edges with water, and fold in half, pasty style. Seal edges, place on oiled pizza tray, and cook for 8-10 mins or until browned. Serve with salad.
Alternative fillings:
Chicken (cooked), mushrooms, chives, cheese
Seafood, avocado, thinly sliced lemon, cream cheese
Chicken (cooked), asparagus, cream cheese, herbs
Tuna, capers, baby spinach, cheese
Thinly sliced roast beef, sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced onions, horseradish
Any favourite filling
