PIZZA | HOMEMADE PIZZA FROM SCRATCH

Though it is said to have its origins in Italy, Pizza has become a buzz worldwide,driving everyone crazy.Undoubtedly,our family is no exception. When I hopped onto the Baking journey,I was determined to do all the research to get the perfect Pizza recipe.I still can't believe that making a Pizza is such a breeze.With a little forethought, it does'nt take a lot of time working on your part, to enjoy a delicious Homemade Pizza even on a weeknight. Besides being incredibly cheap, you have the control of what is going into it and its entirely upto you to make it the healthiest possible way you like. For me, there is simply nothing that can match the sense of satisfaction I get from making it from scratch.      

Preparation + Proofing time : 2hrs
Baking time : 15-20 mins
Yields : Two 10-inch Pizzas


Ingredients:

1. For the crust /base:-
All-purpose flour - 3 cups / 420gm 
Active dry yeast - 3 and a 1/2tsp
Salt - 2tsp
Sugar - 2tsp
Warm water - 3/4 cup (approx.)
Olive oil  - 3tblsp + 2tblsp for coating

2. For the Pizza sauce:-
Tomatoes - 10
Olive oil - 2tblsp
Garlic pods - 2, finely chopped (adjust according to your taste)
Capsicum - 1 small, finely chopped
Salt - As needed
Chilli powder - 1-2 tblsp
Italian seasoning / Oregano & Marjoram - 3tsp

3. For the topping:-
Veggies of your choice (I used diced red and green capsicums, onion,zucchini, mushroom and pineapple chunks)
Mozzarella, Parmesan & Cheddar Cheese - 1/3 cup each (adjust to your preference)
Pizza topper (Italian herbs) - 2 tsp
Chilli flakes - 2 tsp

                

Method:

The key to a great Pizza is a great crust. We love thick and soft crust over a thin crust pizza, so is the recipe too. 

1. In a mixing bowl, combine yeast with WARM water and sugar and let sit for 5mins, until the mixture turns foamy.This is called  'proofing' the yeast.Water should neither be too hot nor at room temperature. It should be WARM. Adding sugar increases the Yeast's activity and also softens the dough, especially when combined with olive oil.

              

      

2.  Add in the flour, salt and olive oil and knead for 7-8mins to form a soft and pliable dough. If the dough is sticky, you may add a little more flour to make it smooth. One way to check this consistency is that it should bounce back when slightly poked with a finger.

3.  Coat the dough on all sides with olive oil and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for 1-2hrs until it doubles in volume.This time may vary with different brands of Yeast.

                  

Meanwhile, let's look at the step-wise guide to the preparation of Homemade Pizza sauce. It takes about 30mins to get it done.Pizza sauce can be prepared well ahead and kept refrigerated for around 2-3 weeks and used when required.

(i)  Firstly, we need to blanch the tomatoes. For this, take a wide vessel, add tomatoes and cover it with water and bring to boil. Switch off the flame once you see the skin peeling away from the tomatoes. DO NOT overdo.

(ii)  Pour away the water and allow it to cool for a few mintues. 

                     

(iii)  Take half of them and cut into fine cubes. Blend the remaining into a puree.

(iv)  In a saucepan, add olive oil and saute the garlic followed by capsicum for a minute. 

                     

(v)   Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for another 2-3 mins till it turns mushy. 

(vi)  Stir in the tomato puree, salt and chilli powder and simmer it for 20mins or until the   excess water is evaporated and its of spreadable consistency. Finally, add Italian seasoning to this and switch off the flame.It is this mixed herbs that give the Pizza its unique flavour and aroma. Set aside.

                     
                                             
4.  Pre heat the oven to 200C / 390F for 20-30mins. The oven should be really really hot when you pizza is ready to go in.By now, the dough would have risen. Punch down to release the air. Divide the dough into two.Grease the pizza pan with olive oil. I used a round springform pan and a tray. 

5.  Work you way to stretch and roll out the dough evenly. This can be done directly on the pizza pan. Pinch along the edge to create a rim.  

                    

6.  Brush some oil onto the Pizza base. This prevents the crust from becoming soggy when topped with sauce and veggies.

                    

7.  Spread the pizza sauce, top it with cheese, veggies of your choice followed by the remaining generous amount of cheese. Sprinkle some Italian seasoning and chilli flakes.

8.  Bake for 20-20mins until the crust is browned nicely and cheese is melted atop.

                 

My Notes:-

1. After the dough rises and doubles, you can freeze the individual dough balls in a zip-lock cover. Make sure to coat with oil on all sides. Squeeze the air out and seal tightly. When you need to use, bring the frozen dough to the fridge the night before and let it thaw for 12hrs. Take out an hour before and bring to room temperature when you are ready to roll out the Pizza.

2.  The Pizza sauce is a wonder-sauce which can be used on pastas, sandwiches, burgers and in place of ketchup too.

3.  You can play around to create the healthiest version of Pizza. I tend to use 50:50 whole wheat pastry flour and All-purpose flour or sometimes just stick to whole wheat flour. I also add lots of veggies and cut back on the amount of cheese.

4.  When doing it for the first time, I added only the mozzarella cheese. Even though the Pizza tasted great, I could'nt get the much expected 'Pull-away' cheesy slices as we see in Pizza pics. Then, I came to know that all the 3 types of cheese are a MUST if you want your Homemade Pizza to pull apart.

5.  Make sure your dough is smooth with good elasticity before allowing it to proof(rise). DO NOT add flour after this step.This will end up with very hard Pizza crust.

6.  If you are a vegetarian, then this note is for you. While buying Cheese, check the ingredients and look for 'Non-animal Rennet'. If it says just 'Rennet', then understand its of animal origin. This is applicable for cheese slices too. Here in SG, I buy my cheese from 'Phoon Huat' which clearly states that Rennet is of plant origin.

Happy Baking!

Sending this to this week's L2B event hosted by Sangee.