How to make a home made pizza?

Making pizza is easier than you think! Here are some answers to your questions about how to make pizza at home.

What ingredients do I need to make home made pizza?

You will need flour, salt, sugar, yeast, water and olive oil. For the sauce you just have to mix some tomato puree with onion powder and salt. And for toppings there are more options than just cheese: oven-roasted pepper strips or cubes of bacon or prosciutto are top choices! You can also get creative by adding spinach leaves or minced garlic cloves.

How do I make the dough?

Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl with a dough hook attachment on an electric mixer for five minutes. You can turn the mixer on and leave it going, or switch to a wooden spoon. Add flour if necessary and work the dough until it is completely smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl with a damp clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 45 minutes).

What do I do next?

Preheat the oven to its highest temperature (210°C). When the dough has risen, punch out half of it with your hands on a floured surface. You will then have two balls of dough: one slightly smaller than the other. Using your hands, press both balls together (the smaller ball is for piping out the dough), flatten them then wrap them in cling-wrap. Put the wrapped balls in the fridge for 15 minutes so they firm up.

How do I make a pizza circle?

You could use an oven-proof saucer as a template or cut out round disks from a food carton with a sharp knife. For an individual pizza simply place your circle directly on the oven tray and top it with sauce, cheese and your toppings of choice. Bake for 10 minutes then serve hot!

Is there anything else I need to know?

To get the right pizza you have to ensure that you have the right oven temperature! Baking times may vary – just keep an eye on what’s happening in there. Keep an eye on it in your oven – if the pizza starts to get brown and crispy before it is ready, pull it out, turn the temperature down, leave it sit for 10 minutes and come back to it. This can make a big difference when you are cooking from scratch.

What should I do with the leftovers?

If you have any extra dough left over once the pizza is baked, wrap up the remains in a clean kitchen towel and place in a freezer bag for up to three months (you can keep this for longer if you keep your pizza in its original packaging). It’s good to have frozen leftovers on hand because you can use them straight from the freezer (or defrost them at room temperature).

Pizza Facts

• Pizza was invented in Ancient Greece
• The first known mention of pizza is by an Italian scholar named Marco Polo in his memoirs
• Pizza is the world’s most popular food and the second largest overall commodity in global trade
• Americans eat about 100 acres of pizza every day, which amounts to 350 slices every second!
• Pizza is the only food that doesn’t spoil long after its expiration date
• The United States has one billion pizzas delivered each year. Most Americans will consume two or three pizzas in any 24 hour period. Pizza outsells chicken, beef and pork combined at major fast food outlets such as McDonald’s and Wendy’s.