A DIY meal may not always be the cheaper option. But it usually allows you the flexibility that a restaurant-bought version will not. Imagine topping your pizza with anything and making it as large as you want. Sounds good to me! Better still, a DIY cooking session with friends or family allows more bonding time.
When trying a recipe for the first time, it’s best to have your ingredients lined out and arranged together. You don’t want to tire yourself by walking up and down the kitchen, searching for an ingredient.
To make a standard cheese and pepperoni pizza that serves eight, you will need the following ingredients:
Ingredients
For the pizza dough:
7 cups of all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons of baking powder
4 teaspoons of sugar
3-and-half tablespoons of dry yeast
3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons of salt, preferably kosher
Water, as required
For the pizza topping:
400 mL (13Oz.) of tomato ketchup or tomato sauce
4 medium-sized tomatoes
4 medium-sized onions, thinly sliced or chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
4 teaspoons of chilli flakes
12 mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional)
400 grams of cheddar cheese, grated
2 green bell peppers, sliced and deseeded
4 Pepperonis, thinly sliced (optional)
1 cup of chicken, chopped and sautéed
2 cups (16Oz.) of mozzarella cheese
4 teaspoon oregano
Making the pizza dough
This is the defining stage. If something goes wrong with your pizza dough, there’s a high possibility that the pizza will not come out nice. But don’t worry, it is pretty simple to make.
Pour some warm water into a smaller bowl and add the yeast and 3 teaspoons of sugar. Cover this bowl and set it aside for about 15 minutes to allow the yeast to rise. If you intend to use instant yeast, you can skip the 15-minute wait.
While you wait for the yeast to rise, sieve your all-purpose flour into a bowl suitable for kneading. Add the baking powder and salt, then make a well in the mixture. Put 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in the well and mix all ingredients.
Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and knead it nicely to form the dough. Don’t add too much water, or else your dough will become too sticky to handle. But if this happens, add a little more flour to the mix.
Continue the kneading process until a stretchy but smooth dough is formed. This may take up to 10 minutes. Taking short breaks in between may help.
Cover the dough with a plastic wrap for adequate fermentation and set it aside for at least four hours. If you don’t have that luxury of time, just cover it sufficiently with a plastic wrap and leave it to rest at room temperature for about an hour and a half.
Making the pizza base
Before making your pizza base, set your oven to 180°C. You can check this with an oven thermometer to ensure better baking results.
Sprinkle some flour over the surface of a rolling board to prevent the dough from sticking to it.
Place the chunk of dough on the rolling board and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a circular base, ensuring all sides are even. Using a fork, poke holes into it to prevent it from rising during baking.
(You can get a quality rolling pin and board here)
Carefully place your pizza base into the oven and allow it to bake for ten minutes. Afterward, remove it from the oven and place it on a cool surface.
Making the pizza topping
Melt the grated cheddar cheese in a cast iron skillet over low heat. If you use high heat, the cheese may become rubbery and affect the taste of your pizza. You can add some liquid milk (optional) to aid the melting process.
Spread your tomato ketchup or sauce over the pizza base evenly. Next, pour your melted cheese over the tomato sauce, also in an even manner. You can use a wooden spatula for better spreading.
Sprinkle your chili flakes over the topping and add all your chopped veggies.
Add your pepperoni, chopped chicken, or any other preferred topping.
Finally, put a thick layer of mozzarella over the pizza.
Set your oven to 250°C and ensure your oven has been preheated for at least 5 to 10 minutes.
Place the pizza on a baking tray and allow it to bake for another 10 minutes. You will know if your pizza is done when the cheese is melted and slightly brown. The edges of the crust will also be golden brown.
At this point, you can take the pizza out of the oven and sprinkle some oregano on it.
Allow your pizza to cool for another 5 minutes. Using a chef’s knife, cut the pizza into 8 slices, starting from the crust to the centre. Or you could get OXO Good Grips’ pizza cutter.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for pizza; cheddar cheese or Mozzarella?
In this recipe, cheddar cheese was one of the first ingredients added to the pizza base while mozzarella was added on top of all the other toppings.
Mozzarella is well-known for melting easily and complimenting your pizza with enough flavour and an ideal level of chewiness.
Cheddar cheese also works well for pizza, but mozzarella is still the preferred option.
How should I serve my pizza and with what?
Pizza is best enjoyed hot. To give it a fancier presentation, serve it with a cool cup of orange juice or a glass of wine.
Can I keep leftover pizza for later?
Yes, you can. Line an airtight container with paper towels and place the pizza slices in it. Cover again with paper towels and seal the container. This keeps moisture out.
Extra tips
- Allow the dough to rise for longer for a more flavourful crust. When kept in a refrigerator, it can rise for as long as 24 hours!
- To get a crispier crust, allow your pizza base to bake at lower heat and for a longer time.
- If your yeast is still active and alive, it will foam after 5 minutes of being in water.
