By ELLY-JEAN LOUIS
I have a confession…when Mamamia challenged me to cook one meal that could be altered to please a whole family I was baffled.
My initial thoughts were that it couldn’t be done. But then I started to think about easy meals that we cook at home when children are over or when entertaining large groups. Any guesses? One word, eight slices… Pizza.
Pizza is great because you customise each dish by omitting ingredients that fussy children don’t like and including the decadent ingredients that others may want. You can also make them healthier by modifying the thickness of the base as well as limiting the cheese (removing cheese is sacrilegious in my eyes so only do it if it’s a must).
If you have a gluten free member in your family, I have also used a gluten free base that went down a treat with the fam.
PIZZA DOUGH (makes 4 pizzas)
What you need:
1 ½ cups warm water
7g/1 sachet dried yeast
½ tsp of sugar
4 cups strong 00 flour – plain flour is fine if you can’t find 00
1 tsp salt
¼ cup olive oil, plus extra for brushing
What to do:
1. Mix the warm water, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes until slightly foamy. In a separate bowl, combine sifted flour and salt. Make a well in the centre and add the olive oil and yeast mixture gradually. Use a fork in a cutting motion to mix until a rough dough forms.
2. Use your hands to form the final dough, turn dough out onto a floured bench and knead for roughly 10 minutes until smooth.
3. Lightly grease a large clean bowl, place dough in bowl and cover with cling wrap. Set aside in a warm room or outside for 30 minutes – 1 hour until dough has doubled in size.
4. Use your fist to punch the dough down. Roll dough out into an even log then cut into four pizza portions. Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough to desired size, top with pasta sauce or tomato paste and your favourite toppings.
GLUTEN FREE PIZZA DOUGH (makes 2)
What you need:
2 ½ cups strong gluten-free flour (gluten-free pizza flour is available at most supermarkets)
7g/1 sachet dried yeast
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
2 tbs olive oil
What to do:
1. Mix the warm water, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes until slightly foamy. In a separate bowl, combine sifted flour and salt. Make a well in the centre and add the olive oil and yeast mixture gradually. Use a fork in a cutting motion to mix until a rough dough forms.
Top Comments
That potato pizza - love at first sight! Can't wait to make it.
Great ideas, Elly. For my Dad's 70th birthday celebration, apart from lots of finger food, I made a whole lot of pizzas. Favourite toppings were marinara or the chicken, goats cheese and rocket on a mashed pumpkin base. Yours look mouthwatering!