Easy Homemade Pizza

I have four recipes for pizza dough. I wanted one that wouldn't take too long. I chose the basic pizza dough recipe from Jamie Oliver's Italy. Instead of making the dough by hand I used an electric mixer with a dough hook. This is the end result, thin crispy pizza base. Enjoy. If you would like it even quicker, use store bought ready rolled puff pasty as a base instead...

Makes 6 - 8 Medium sized pizzas

800g/ 1 3/4lb strong white bread flour
200g/ 7oz fine ground semolina flour / strong white bread flour
1 level tablespoon fine sea salt
2 x 7g sachets of dried yeast
1 tablespoon golden caster sugar
650ml just over 1 pint lukewarm water

Preheat oven to highest setting. Put flours and salt in mix and mix together on low. Put sugar and yeast into lukewarm water. Mix with a fork and leave for a few minutes, then pour into the flour mix and mix on slow till combined. Knead for 5 mins. Flour the top, cover with cling film and rest for 15 mins while making the sauce. You can also use passata if you don't have time to make the sauce.

Seperate dough into 6 balls and roll out. Add flour and roll out pizzas and rest for 15 mins. Add toppings and bake for 7 - 10 mins.

Sauce

This recipe is adapted from Darina Allens Tomato Fondue Recipe.

1 tablespoon olive oil
4oz /110g onions, chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
2 tablespoons sugar
1 can plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped herbs (either one or a mixture of all thyme, parsley, mint, basil, lemon balm, majoram)
salt, pepper

Heat oil in a stainless steel saucepan. Add the onion and garlic, toss until coated, cover and sweat on a gentle heat until soft but not coloured. It is vital for the success of this dish that the onions are completely soft before the tomatoes are added.

Slice the tomatoes and add with all the juice to the onions. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Add the herbs. Cook uncovered for 10 - 30 mins or until the tomato softens.

Topping Ideas

Black Olives and Anchovies
Ham, Mushroom & Mozarella
Mushroom, Garlic & Mozarella
Ham, Pineapple & Mozarella

Whatever you fancy really...