Home-made Pizza

"I made it with roti ka aata (wheat flour) and it came out really great... the best part was that it was light on the stomach as well... ucould have this as lunch or dinner with soup or just a snack when you have friends over"

Makes about 7 - 8 medium sized pizza

INGREDIENTS

For Base:

• Wheat flour / all purpose flour (maida) - 2 and half cups
• Yeast - 1 packet (7 gms)
• Salt - 1 tsp
• olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Water - to knead the dough

For Sauce:

• medium sized tomatoes - 2 - 3
• mixed Italian herbs - 1 and half tsp
• salt - as per taste
• olive oil - 1 tbsp
• Tomato sauce - 1 - 2 tbsp (optional)
• Onion - 1 small or medium sized (optional)
• Garlic - 1 or 2 cloves (optional)
• Green chilly - as per taste (optional)

Toppings (your choice... some are listed as under)

• tomato / capsicum / onion / mushrooms / basil / paneer / sun dried tomato / jalapeño / feta cheese
• Shredded cheese

METHOD

Dough

• Dissolve the yeast in a cup of warm water & leave for 20 mins
• Sift the flour and mix the oil, salt and yeast in it and knead it well. If need be add some more water or flour as required.
• Put the dough in a greased vessel & cover the vessel tightly with cling warp or leave it in a air tight container and leave for 45 - 50 mins... till the dough raises and becomes double in size.

Sauce

• Puree the tomato, garlic, green chilly and onion with a blender
• In a pan heat the oil and add half tsp herbs. Then add the puree and salt let it cook for a while.
• Once the raw taste of tomato disappears add the rest of the herbs and tomato sauce a cook till the sauce thickens a little.

Pizza

• Roll out the dough like chapati but a little thick... dust the pan with flour before rolling the dough.
• Place the rolled dough in the pan which you are going to place inside the oven. Spread the sauce and the required toppings and top with shredded cheese. Put this inside a pre-heated oven (200c - 210 c) for 15 - 20 mins or till the cheese on top melts.

SHORT CUTS:

• You could use a pasta or pizza sauce instead of making the pizza sauce at home.
• For something quick... you can even use tomato ketchup
• Instead of the pizza base your could use Lebanese bread / pizza base

VARIATION:

• You could saute some veggies like brinjal, onions, pumpkin with some Italian herbs and spices and use that as a topping... My aunt made this & it tastes really good!