Pizza Dough

Category: Cakes and Bakes

This does not take a great deal of time to make it, it just requires a little planning ahead. The dough is a good basic dough perfect for making pizza, garlic bread, bread, rolls and even sweet breads such as cinnamon and brown sugar rolls. Pizza is great for a main meal, served with a simple salad, or for a light lunch.

Servings

1

Ingredients

500g strong white breadmaking flour, sifted 1 tsp salt 1 tsp dried yeast 275ml hand hot water 1 tsp clear honey 1 tbsp olive oil Topping 400g tinned chopped tomatoes 200g grated mozzarella cheese

Method

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. In a measuring jug mix the water, honey, yeast and oil together. Wait until the liquid goes frothy- about 10 minutes. Mix the liquid into the dry ingredients and pull together to form a ball. Turn the dough onto a clean surface and knead it with your hands for 5-8 minutes until smooth. Lightly oil a clean bowl, roll the dough in the bowl to coat all the surfaces with oil, cover with a clean cloth and leave in a warm place to double in size (about 1 hour). Lightly knock the air out of the dough by kneading it. Roll out into a circle, which will fit the baking sheet. Transfer to the baking sheet. Spread on the topping, leaving an edge all around the pizza Allow to stand until the dough has doubled in size (about 40 minutes). Bake in a preheated oven 200C/gas 6 for 20 minutes until the crust is crisp and golden. Use a pallet knife to lift the base from the baking sheet and check the dough in the centre is properly cooked. Slice and serve the pizza. Cook's Note Use flavoured oil such as extra virgin olive oil infused with basil in your dough for added flavour. To make a thin crusted pizza, use the same dough but divide it into two pieces and roll each one out thinly. Dough can be frozen after the first rising, then brought out, defrosted in fridge, rolled into shape and allowed to prove for a second time before use. Finished pizzas will also freeze well. Make a calzone - folded over pizza by rolling half the dough into a round and putting filling on one half only. Fold in half and sprinkle a little Waitrose grated mozzarella cheese. Cook at 200C/gas 6 for 20 minutes. Further quick toppings include fresh pizza sauce - from the fresh sauce range (next to fresh pasta) with grated mozzarella cheese on top- or try Mediterranean vegetable and tuna sauce and add extra tinned tuna or cooked prawns. Waitrose Fresh Stir in Sauce - red Pesto makes an excellent base for other simple toppings such as ready cooked roast chicken breast, salami, or even just plain grated mozzarella cheese. Baby leaf spinach or rocket leaves are good partners for cheeses such as Brie or Gorgonzola. Sliced fresh tomatoes, basil leaves and baby mozzarella cheese. PER SERVING 2413 Kcal, fat 59.1g, saturated fat 30.1g, salt 7.3g, carbohydrate 394.8g, fibre 18.3g