Pizza bases

[Snacks]

How hard are these to make without a breadmaker?
I have had some garlic pizza tonight from my local pizza place and it is faaaaaaantastic. Not too expensive I spose, but I'm sure it'd be a dead easy one to make myself if I felt so inclined. Just stuck on the base.
Do people bother to make their own, or do you just buy it?

[Hollybolly]

Amy,

I know DH has a really easy recipe that he has given a few friends/family to make pizza at home... to say the words 'pre-made bases' in front of him is a very risky thing!

I couldn't tell you the recipe - we have ENOUGH pizza coming through this household to even warrant me making it myself - but I'll ask him tomorrow & post it for you

[smiles4u]

Hollybolly ... I'd be soooo interested to know too

[sazzafrazz]

I make an easy one, can even tell it off the top of my head.
It makes two family sized I guess. I use half and make two individual ones for us for tea and freeze the other half for next time.

1/2C boiling water
1C cold water
1tsp sugar
7g active dry yeast
3C plain flour
Pinch salt.

mix the sugar in the hot water and then add the cold water. To this add the yeast and stir it well. Let it sit for 10mins till it gets all frothy on the top then pour into the flour and salt mix. Just stir it and knead it out on a board for a few minutes before rolling out. You will probably need a handfull of flour for kneading/rolling.

I always oil the trays before I lay the dough on it and it cooks on about 180C. Timing depends how much stuff you put on it.

I often use the thawed half for mini pizzas for my mums group lunches and they are always a hit!

[Snacks]

Holly, LOL, I thought of you when posting this! I don't mind if your DH doesn't want to part with the recipe, but by golly if he doesn't mind then that'd be terrific! (And yes, I can well imagine pre-made bases from the supermarket must be a very dirty concept! )
Thanks, Sazz! That doesn't look too complicated. Good to know it freezes ok too. The mini ones are what I was thinking of. DH doesn't eat 'normal' pizza but plain ones with garlic or satay chicken ones are a goer. I thought of making individuals for us so that I can get a 'real' pizza hit
Thanks girls!

[ACJ]

Sorry to hijack....but i was wondering if anyone has a yeast-less pizza base recipe??

[Michelle71]

This was in the March 2009 Better Homes and Gardens

Sift 2 cups of plain flour and 1 tsp sea salt into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre, add 2 tbs olive oil and 1 cup warm water, stir with a knife to form a stiff dough (add water if needed). Turn dough out onto a floured surface, knead until it forms a ball, then stand for 10 mins. Roll out to a 25cm round and put on a prepared tray.

Add toppings and bake in a pre=heated 200 degree C oven for 25-30 minutes or till crisp and golden.

[Snacks]

Thanks Michelle - I wonder why you'd need to stand it for 10 mins if there's no yeast in it?

[Michelle71]

Probably for the same reason as you need to let pastry rest - something to do with the proteins I think so that ends up crispy and not dense.

[Snacks]

Haven't made pastry before, but I know with some biscuit recipes they say to let it have half an hour in the fridge... I always thought that was just to make it firmer and easier to roll out though. Interesting about the proteins. I won't argue anyway, was just curious! Thanks again.

[Michelle71]

From the world of google The main thing that happens as dough relaxes is that gluten strands have time to adjust to the new length and shape, making them easier to roll and less likely to shrink during baking. So it isn't a protein but gluten. The other thing (for pastry) the resting time allows for the water to evenly distribute through so there are no dry and flaky spots with soggy spots.

P.S. We made pizza tonight and it was sooooooo yummy. I found the yeast recipe in the Marie Claire "Kitchen" book.

[sazzafrazz]

That's interesting about the resting time. My chef friend told me to rest the pastry in the frige before rolling out and it made heaps of difference to how crumbly it was too. (I mean less crumbly)

Before I did the yeast pizza dough I used to do a basic scone recipe and roll that out. It gets a bit thick though but an alternative to yeast free I guess.

[Michelle71]

Yep - the google site said resting lets the water spread evenly through pastry so it is not soggy or crumbly

[Snacks]

We made pizza tonight and it was sooooooo yummy.

Oooh, I am so keen to try it out! Will get there soon.

[Michelle71]

It was a yeast recipe though - not the yeast free one