Pizza Art

Making pizzas with the kids is great fun. This is a basic Margherita, but you can add any topping you like. My favourite is nuggets of sausage meat, broccoli florets and dried chilli/hot pepper flakes, but ricotta cheese, Parma ham, sun-blush tomatoes and olives comes a close second. The kids love making faces with chunks of vegetables.

MAKES 2 large or 4 small pizzas

PREPARATION TIME 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes rising (optional)

COOKING TIME 10 minutes

FOR THE PIZZA DOUGH

300g/10½oz/scant 2½ cups strong white bread flour, plus a little extra for dusting

1 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

FOR THE TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA TOPPING

150ml/5fl oz/scant 2/3 cup Tomato Sauce (see below) or passata/Italian sieved tomatoes

1 handful of basil leaves, torn or roughly chopped

250–350g/9–12oz mozzarella, torn into pieces

olive oil, for drizzling

plus any of your favourite toppings as extras

 

1 Put the flour, yeast and salt in bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the oil and 200ml/7fl oz/scant 1 cup lukewarm water and bring the ingredients together with a wooden spoon or your hands until you have a soft, fairly wet dough. Turn out onto the surface dusted with flour and knead for a good 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively you can mix everything together in a food mixer with a dough hook.

2 If you have the time, put the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover with a piece of oiled cling film/plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place for about 30 minutes. It’s not essential to do this for a thin crust pizza but it will make a lighter dough.

3 Preheat the oven to 240°C/475°F/gas 8. Put two baking sheets in the oven on separate shelves to preheat and lightly flour two baking sheets.

4 Knead the dough quickly if you left it to rise, then divide into either two or four pieces. Roll out thinly, then put on the cold baking sheets. Spread the tomato sauce over the dough and scatter with the basil and mozzarella. Add any other toppings of your choice. Drizzle with olive oil and put the baking sheets in the oven on top of the preheated ones. Cook for 8–10 minutes until golden and crisp, then serve the pizza cut into wedges.

Lifesaver for your store cupboard

tomato sauce

For serving with grilled/broiled meats and fish, as a pizza topping, with pasta or gnocchi, as a soup base (add stock and cream), a dip or salsa with chilli, simmer 750g/1lb 10oz/3 cups canned chopped tomatoes, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp caster/superfine sugar, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp chopped basil leaves (optional), and a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper in a pan for 30 minutes until rich and thick. Use straight away or cool and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. To keep, spoon into sterilized jars, seal loosely with a lid and put in a roasting pan lined with a folded dish towel and fill 2cm/¾in deep with hot water. Put in a preheated oven at 160°C/315°F/ gas 2–3 for 25 minutes, then seal tightly. Store in a cool, dark place and use within 6 months. Once open, store in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.