Up until now I have never baked any sort of bread at home ...I always thought of it as something requiring a great deal of skill and long hours of kneading and proofing ......It just seemed so much simpler to walk into a store and pick up what you need!
Well all that changed after my first attempt at making pizza crust at home from scratch ....this is a fool proof recipe and it is so easy ......and I realized that nothing ...yes nothing compares to a pizza crust made at home from scratch .....
I am a convert ....I will never buy buy any store bought pizza crust ever again!
The cast of characters.......simple enough ingredients that create magic!!
Ingredients ( Makes 4 6" pizzas)
3 cups all purpose flour (Maida)
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp white sugar
1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 table spoons good quality olive oil
1.5 cups luke warm water ( Not scalding hot!!!)
A little extra flour to dust work surface
Some parchment paper to line baking tray ( I dint have any :( )
Directions :
Mix all ingredients ...stir till it all comes together to form a very sticky dough ...should look like the picture below.
Leave to rise in a dark warm place covered with a soft cloth or cling film for 18 hours....yes 18 hours :)
After rising and proofing for 18 hours this is what your dough should look like....all bubbly and springy and it does double n triple in size so make sure u start with a large enough container ....
Okay so then once you are ready with the dough ....dust some flour onto your work surface .....
Divide dough ball into 4 equal parts ....coz thats how many pizzas you can make ....4
Get your toppings ready....I used red and green capsicum , onions , olives , mushrooms and lots of mozarella cheese.....add whatever you fancy ....grilled chicken bits left over from last nights dinner....baby corn ....:)
Roll out your dough .....dont worry about getting a perfect round ,.....its meant to be rustic and earthy and home-ly Italian ....hehehe
Slap on some sauce ....I add olive oil in a pan heat it up then garlic .....tomato puree....tomato ketchup...garlic salt....yes I do love garlic.....season it with salt pepper and oregano...add some chopped basil leaves.....and your sauce is READYY!!
Put on all your toppings .....dont forget to season some more after your toppings......add some chopped mozzarella
Bake in the bottom rack of your oven at 250 deg C till cheese bubbles and mushrooms are cooked....and your crust is cooked and nice and crisp at the bottom!!
Perfect pizza ......
Bon Apetit!
And thank you Lee ...my dear neighbour for sharing this excellent no-work no-knead excellent fool proof recipe with me!!
