Pizza for girls who don't have time to cook
Look, it's a recipe. Wow, who would have thought?'Please me, tease me, go ahead and leave me.' - Garbage, I Think I'm Paranoid
Actually, this is a really nice recipe.
It's yeast based so no weird baking powdery aftertaste and it makes a thin base. It's also super fast. Almost as fast as a bought one. Faster than ordering in. Fun to make with the kids.
The kind of pizza that makes you look good in your flour-dusted denim apron all flushed and rosy-cheeked from the heat of the oven while you roll the dough.
Hey, they say sex sells.. Nigella can't be wrong, right?
The recipe comes from one of those 1970s style books that call themselves 'The Bible of ...' which is why the title of the recipe is:
Make & Bake Pizza
15 ml (1 tbsp) dry yeast (or one sachet instant easy blend yeast)
1/4 cup warm water
2 3/4 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup lukewarm water.
- If you're using dry yeast, sprinkle it over the 1/4 cup water and leave to stand until it makes a nice head of foam (think beer). If you're using the instant easy blend yeast skip this step and move on.
- Process the flour sugar and salt in the food processor for a few seconds. Add the yeast mixture (or add the sachet of yeast and the 1/4 cup water).
- Combine the oil and water and drizzle through the feed tube while the processor runs and process until the dough forms a mass around the blades. Process for about 30 - 40 seconds longer. The dough will be slightly sticky.
- Divide the dough in half. Knead it on a floured surface into two smooth balls, (think boobs). Flatten and press out into two 12 inch circles. Spray baking sheets, place dough on sheets. Crimp the edges to make a little edge so the toppings don't fall off. Allow to rise for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 200C and brush dough with oil. Use toppings and sauce that you like and bake for 20 minutes on lowest rack of the oven.
You can freeze the pizzas unbaked and then bake from frozen for five minutes extra. You can also freeze them after baking and then give them 10 minutes in the oven at 200C.
Jane, this recipe is for you. Have fun pizza making and don't forget the sexy apron and the pose, Nigella-stylee.
Thanks Ash!
I will definitely give that I try... and no I don't have a food processor... so by hand it is for me...
But on the odd occasion I do gardening or muscle in with dough or something I console myself that although it's frikkin hard work, is basically a mini workout so it's all good ;)
All these things are good for the boys to help with too, gives them some OT type exercise in the process too. :)
Ciao
J
Ooh, thanks. I see myself as a sexy Nigella-style cook. Just a pity my kitchen's usually a mess and I haven't topped up my lisptick since 6am. I probably need a stylist, but since I don't have one, this fabulous recipe will do. My kids and my husband will love it.
Sounds yummy! For me it's a big enough effort to make pizza with pre-made dough. This is really an entirely different league. :) Still beats pre-prepared frozen pizza, though!
Hu? Oh... sorry, I got distracted at the point you mentioned sex. What were you cooking again? :p
Charlotte, I'll come and be your stylist and we'll make an inappropriately named and innuendo filled tv program called something like In Bed (oops!) the Kitchen with Ash & Charlotte. And we'll have stylists to make sure our boobs stay in our clothes and our lipstick is perfect. Hope your fam. enjoy the recipe :)
J, get your gorgeous boy to help you make huge quantities of pizza dough one weekend and put a whole lot in the freezer. He'll love you on those late weeknights when there's no time to cook and you'll love him even more for getting floury with you. See you on Thursday!
Stu, you one-track-mind-man you :)
Returning to say that I've just made this for Sunday lunch, with chicken, rosemary and parmesan topping. V. successful, thanks Ash! Next time I will try plain flour instead of wholewheat.
Charlotte: Your toppings sound oh oh oh awesome :) I like half plain flour, half wholewheat, then you feel healthy without it being too heavy. Sometimes wholewheat can be so leaden.