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Recipe for Pizza Base 1/4 cup warm water 1 packet yeast 3 1/2 cups plain flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup olive oil 1 pinch salt
1. Pour warm water into a bowl, sprinkle yeast on top and leave for 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and cover bowl. Put in a warm place for 5 minutes. 2. Put flour and salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre, and then pour in the yeast. Add the rest of the water and the oil, and then mix until all ingredients are combined. 3. Knead to make an elastic dough. 4. Roll the dough into a ball and put in a greased bowl. Cover bowl with thick cellophane and leave in a warm place for 2 hours, to rise. 5. Divide dough into two. Roll out each half onto a floured surface till you have the desired thickness. 6. Make sure the thickness is even by pressing with your palm 7. Mould it into shape and pinch up the edges so it becomes slightly raised. 8. Bake lightly in a moderately hot oven.
Recipe for Pepperoni Pizza
Pizza base 400g tomatoes 100g anchovies 200g shredded mozzarella cheese Olive oil Salt & pepper Oregano 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 packages sliced pepperoni
1. Lightly spread the pizza base with (olive) oil. This will allow the toppings to cook. 2. Peel & remove seeds from tomatoes, then dice or cook into a smooth paste (or simply use any tomato sauce or omit tomato and use different chesse instead) 3. Mix mince garlic, salt, black pepper in bowl and spread it on top. Add oregano, and basil to taste. Or, add your favorite herbs and spices. 4. Sprinkle mozzarella on pizza, followed by anchovies. 5. Then slice peppers, onion, olives, fresh tomato and put it on the pizza. Arrange some pepperoni (or sausage) on top or simply garnish with veggies. Add anchovies 6. Spread a little more oil and bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) for 25 minutes. 7. Cool for 5 minutes. Serves 8.
Note: Cooking time may vary slightly, depending on your oven. |
The History of Pizza
The pizza could have been
invented by the Phoeni-
cians, the Greeks, Romans,
or anyone who learned the
secret of mixing flour with
water and heating it on a
hot stone.
In one of its many forms,
pizza has been a basic part
of the Italian diet since the
Stone Age. This earliest
form of pizza was crude
bread that was baked
beneath the stones of the
fire. After cooking, it was
seasoned with a variety of
different toppings and used
instead of plates and
utensils to sop up broth or
gravies. It is said that the
idea of using bread as a
plate came from the Greeks
who ate flat round bread
(plankuntos) baked with an
assortment of toppings. It
was eaten by the working
man and his family because
it was a thrifty and
convenient food. |