Pizza Base Recipes

Steps:

• Put the flour, yeast and 1 tsp salt into a large bowl. Stir in 500ml of slightly warm water and the oil. You should end up with a wettish dough that is rough and lumpy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover with a tea towel and if your kitchen is cool keep it out, but if it's warm put it in the bottom of the fridge. Leave dough to rise for at least 6 hrs or until doubled in size.
• When ready to cook, bring the dough to room temperature. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Dust 2-4 baking sheets with semolina. Dust the work surface with flour, then divide the dough into 2 or 4 pieces. Knead each piece on the floured surface, incorporating enough flour to stop the dough being sticky.
• Roll each piece into a pizza shape and lift onto baking sheets. Leave to rise for 10 mins while you sort toppings (see ideas, below). Top the bases with your chosen ingredients, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and bake following the timings for each topping (18 mins for a large pizza or 12 mins for an individual) or until the crust is crisp and the topping is bubbling.

Steps:

• Combine the yeast, flour, sugar & salt in a bowl.
• Add water & oil.
• Mix with a metal spoon until dough comes together.
• Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 - 7 minutes or until elastic.
• Roll out to 3/4 cm thick.
• Bake in a 220 degree celcius fan forced oven for 10-12 minutes.
• Note: You can brush the base with a little garlic oil if you are going to bake the base first before putting your pizza ingredients on (this gives a crispier base).
• Alternatively you can load your pizza toppings on the unbaked base, which will give you a lovely softer pizza base.

Steps:

• Find a deep and wide mixing bowl, [Try not to do it on a flat surface such as counter top as it takes more time and can be quite messy. I usually use a wok as i have one:)] Add in the flour.
• Add in yeast and just mix it lightly with the flour.
• Add in water. To be on the safe side, do not add all, always leave a little in the cup and add more if necessary. Mix the mixture with hand until you knead it to a dough that does not stick to your hand.
• Add the olive oil at this stage. You may substitute this with butter or margarine. It's to give the dough its nice golden brown colour when baked. Knead it for a minute.
• Add the salt. It should be 1 flat teaspoon not heap. Knead it for 2 to 5 minutes.
• You may also add ingredients at this stage such as rosemary, basil, cajun spice, etc and made it your unique pizza base.
• Divide and roll to your desired thickness and size. Dust the working surface well with flour. Cover the unused portion to avoid drying out. [If you want to save the dough, divide and roll it tight as a ball, the wrap it with clear plastic film. Keep it in the freezer. I keep them for maximum 2 weeks. Before using it, let it thaw for 30min to an hour, It might get a bit sticky as it has all those water condension. Add a bit of flour and roll your dough.]
• Preheat the oven to 250 degree celcius.
• Add your favourite ingredients and put in the oven to bake at 220 degree celcius for 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and leave for 5 minutes.
• While waiting, sift the flour into your mixing bowl. Add the salt & oil.
• Once a foam has formed on the yeasty water pour it in and start mixing. Add more water as required (varies depending on climate, humidity etc.) until the dough feels like a young woman's breast. I was taught this by a baker many years ago and while it sounds rude, it really is the easiest way to describe how a good dough should feel. Now clean your mixing bowl.
• This next part, while not vital, does make a noticeable difference. Rub oil around the surface of the dough, put it in your clean mixing bowl and stick it in the fridge. Leave it there for as long as possible (24 hours is best but 6 hours is ok). If you don't have time for the fridge don't stress - just skip it and move on.
• If you used the fridge you will have noticed your dough rose, albeit slowly. Take your dough out of the fridge and let it rise some more.
• Once risen pound the crap out of it to flatten it again but don't knead it too much. Cut your dough into 3 or 4 balls, roll them flat, fold them up and roll them again. This creates air pockets which expand giving your base the authentic 5 star Italian wood-fired look and feel in the comfort of your own home. If the dough begins to feel tough while you're working it, let it rest for 5 minutes. It's just the gluten tightening up and resting it relaxes it.
• Top your bases and cook for 10 minutes or so. If you make thicker bases it often pays to partly cook the base for 5 min then top and bake again.
• Enjoy!