A Little Pizza Heaven

Mamma Mia! {www.merchant-gourmet.com}

Nothing says Friday night quite like a slice of pizza in front of the TV but if you're thinking of reaching for the phone to call your local takeaway, forget it! For years I thought making pizza from scratch would be mission impossible but it turns out, it's as easy as Dough, Re, Mi...!

Dough, Re, Mi, Fa - Ingredients:

1 cup of self raising flour and extra to dust

1/2 cup of water (room temperature)

Salt

Pepper

Small sprig of fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Glug of olive oil

Directions:

Dough: In a large bowl, sieve your flour and add salt, pepper, rosemary and olive oil. Gradually add the water and beat with a wooden spoon (or your hands if you find it easier). The dough should be neither dry nor runny - roll it into egg-sized balls and one at a time, transfer them to your worktop, which should be lightly dusted with flour.

*It is difficult to give exact measures for the dough - it depends on how many people you are cooking for and how thick you want your pizza bases to be. You will know if your dough it too dry (it will not roll into a ball but will crumble into pieces) or is too wet (you will have more stuck to your hands than anywhere else, and it will be impossible to work with). This process is easy to repeat if you're not happy with your first attempt.

Re: Dust your rolling pin with flour and start to shape your dough. Try not to work with too much dough - make your base as thin as you possibly can, without it tearing when you move it. The base needs to fit flat in your frying pan, so it is better to make two or three small bases than one huge one. Use the spare flour generously if you think your base is sticking to the worktop or rolling pin.

Mi: Fold your base in half and half again, to safely transfer it to the frying pan without tearing.

Fa: Pour a splash of oil into your frying pan and turn it to a high heat. Unfold the dough in the pan and cook on both sides for one minute, until the base is slightly browned. Turn down the heat and cook the base on both sides for another few minutes. It should become crispy and hard. 

*Repeat these stages for each base. I find it easier to make several small pizzas for each person rather than large ones - the dough is easier to handle.

So-La-Ti-Dough!- Ingredients:

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 clove garlic (chopped)

Salt

Pepper

Red onion (sliced)

Courgette (sliced)

Chicken (sliced and cooked)

Mozarella ball (torn into small pieces)

Directions:

So: To make a tomato sauce, add the tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper to a pan and simmer on a low heat, until it reduces and thickens. If you are cooking for 4 or more people, use two tins or add tomato puree to intensify the flavour and do not allow the sauce to reduce as much. If you like spice, add chilli flakes for an extra kick.

La: Choose the ingredients for your topping. If you want to have meat on your pizza, cook it before adding it to the base. Any combination will work well - I used grilled chicken, red onion, courgette and mozarella.

Ti: When you're happy with the consistency of your sauce, spread it onto the pizza base and add your toppings. Slide your pizzas under the grill for about five minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Dough: Kick back, relax and enjoy!