Foody Thoughts

Here is an easy recipe for a very tasty home-made cheese and tomato pizza. The main work is in the dough preparation but get this right and the result is wonderful.

For the pizza dough you will need:

• Salt 1tsp
• Warm water 120ml
• Olive oil 1tsp
• White Flour 225g
• Yeast 1tsp
• Sugar 0/5tsp

Pizza Topping Ingredients:

• 125g - Buffalo mozzarella cheese
• 4tbsp - Tomato Sauce
• 1tsp - dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparing The Pizza Dough:

1) Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and add the yeast and the sugar. Combine and cread a dough with a central space for adding oil and water.

2) Add the water and olive oil to the small hole and mix well with your hands while bringing the ingrediants together to make a small ball. Add extra flour and water if required.

3) Keep mixing for approximately three minutes or until the mix is one ball and the bowl is reasonably clean.

4) Move the dough to a floured surface and continue to knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

5) Allow the dough to raise, which should take roughly an hour. For best results lightly oil a bowl and also the surface of your dough, wrap it in a clean dry cloth and leave in the bowl.

6) The dough will rise to approximately double its original size.

7) Spend a further minute or two kneading the dough.

8) Stretch out the dough in a circle. Decide how thick or thin you want your pizza base to be.

Place your dough on a non-stick baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Pre-heat your oven to 220 degrees Celcius. Spread your tomato sauce evenly over your pizza base. Now scatter the mozzarella around the pizza evenly and sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Place on the top shelf of the oven and cook for around fifteen minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the base is firm. Now you can add your own choice of extra toppings. Remember to ensure any meat used has been previously cooked. Then return to the oven for a further 4-7 minutes.

You can add your own personal choice of extra meat, fish or vegatables.