Pizza - Home-made Dough & Sauce

I cant believe I haven't added this recipe yet to the recipe blog and leading a class on Friday with 33 cooks who were so creative with their pizzas - in terms of flavour/decoration/shapes/crusts- it was a reminder how much fun pizza is to make and how creative you can be with it.

As I say to our cooks does pizza have to be circular ?

You don't have to kneed the dough with your hands - mix the dough for 5-10 minutes with a wooden spoon doing deep big stirs and it will save you getting the dough all on little fingers and your kitchen!

The garlic and basil stalks add great flavour to the sauce. In England we have been afraid to use the stalks of herbs but other cultures do - and thats where the flavour is often stored so use the basil stalks....coriander stalks...

Pizza Base

Makes 4 Pizzas (size 15-20cm)

·         250g plain flour

·         250g strong white flour

·         1 x 7g sachet of quick dissolving yeast

·         4 tbsp olive oil

·         1/2 tbsp caster sugar

·         1/2 tbsp sea salt

Pizza base

1.       Sieve both lots of flour and mix with salt – make a well

2.      Dissolve yeast in 400ml warm water (not hot) with the sugar

3.      Add the olive oil to the yeast and mix together – leave for a few minutes.

4. Add the yeast mixture to the flour and salt and mix well.

5.      If its too dry add a bit more water until you have a moist ball of dough. Knead for 10 minutes

6.      Put into an oiled bowl – cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour

7.      After 1 hour - put flour on a board and divide into four.

8. Using the bottom of your hand stretch the dough into the shape you wish and with a crust (or not)

9.      Top with the tomato sauce (as outlined below)

10.    Add any of the toppings with generous pieces of mozzarella and sprinklings of parmesan

11.     Put into an oven at 220c fan for 8-12 minutes

Pizza sauce

·         1 tin of chopped tomatoes

·         4 garlic cloves (crushed)

·         1 basil plant

·         1 tsp olive oil

Pizza sauce

1.       Peel and mince the garlic cloves and put with the olive oil on a gentle heat

2.      Add tinned tomatoes

3.      Add chopped and washed stalks of the basil plant

4.      Leave to simmer for 10 minutes

5.      Add the basil leaves at the end

Suggested pizza toppings

·         Mushroom & Mozzarella

·         Red Pepper & Pepperoni & Mozzarella

·         Ham & Pineapple(!) & Mozzarella

·         Tomato & Olive & Basil leaves & Mozzarella

·         Salami, Tomato & Yellow Peppers & Mozzarella

·         Chicken strips & Sweetcorn & Mozzarella

Paul Hollywood says the stickier the dough the better - and we find that to be the case!

Lemon and Raspberry Tiramisu

Italian menus are the most popular food choices for our Mix & Munch cooks. And whilst we cannot take alcohol into schools and adding coffee to puddings for children is not always advised, this alternative works really well to compliment a heavy pasta or pizza main.

Its a simple, tasty and refreshing pudding - perfect after a heavy Christmas meal when you want something sweet, fruity and light. It can be made before hand and is kid friendly too!

What does tiramisu mean ? In Italian: tiramisù is from tirami su, "pick me up" or "cheer me up"!

What other flavours could you make ? Raspberry & Chocolate, Strawberries & Lemon, Cherry & Vanilla, Blueberry & Lemon, Blueberry & Mango cream, Mint Chocolate with Raspberries......

Raspberry Tiramisu

Makes 1 portion (in a ramekin)

3 Sponge Fingers

15g of fresh raspberries (or thawed frozen raspberries)

Raspberry juice 2 tbsp (or juice of alternative fruit such as pomegranate/Cranberry)

½ Lemon –zest and juice

1 tbsp of mascarpone cheese

2 tbsp crème fraiche

½ tbsp icing sugar (sieved)

Milk chocolate (grated)/sprinkles/gold spray

1. Get two bowls - in one bowl mix together the crushed sponge fingers, juice and raspberries

2. In a separate bowl Mix the lemon zest and juice with the mascarpone, crème fraiche and icing sugar.

4. Take the ramekin and spread half of the sponge and raspberry mixture on the bottom

5. Then half of the cream mixture as a layer.

6. Repeat both (4) and (5) so that all the mixture is used up and you have 4 layers.

7. Decorate with grated chocolate/sprinkles/edible gold spray

8. Chill

Channa Masala

With the evenings drawing in - the heating ready to be turned on - the trees dropping their orange coats - its time for warm, nourishing, flavoursome dishes with spice!

This is a simple dish but also very cheap whilst being very good for you! Its nourishing and nurturing perfect for these Autumnal days. It also can be made in batches and frozen ready to feed a family a few evening meals.

Top Tip - don't worry about taking off the skin of ginger - just chop or grate the ginger with the skin (after a good wash) and the skin will cook with the flesh of the ginger. Saves so much time and is more nutritious too!

You can add in split red lentils too or instead of the chickpeas - tastes just as good, is just as economical too!

Chana Masala

Makes 1 portion – enough for small foil container. Multiply as necessary

5 tbsp chick peas

5 tbsp tinned tomatoes

1 small onion

1 clove of garlic

Knob of butter

Grated ginger (1cm cube size)

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

½ tsp coriander powder

½ tsp cumin powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

Squeeze of lemon juice

Sprigs of fresh coriander

Pinch of salt & pepper

½ tsp sugar

1. Cook the chickpeas for 20 minutes in water

2. Prepare onion – finely chop and cook with butter over a low heat in a frying pan

3. Peel and crush the garlic and add to the frying pan

4. Turn up the heat to medium and add the spices – turmeric/garam masala/coriander powder/cumin powder and cumin seeds & stir occasionally

5. Turn down the heat after 3-4 minutes and add the grated ginger, salt, pepper & sugar & mix thoroughly all the ingredients

6. Add the chick peas and tinned tomatoes – stir and keep at a low-medium heat for 20-30 minutes (stirring occasionally)

7. Then add a generous squeeze of lemon juice and tear of the coriander (you can include the stalks) and add

8. Mix thoroughly cook for 3-4 minutes and serve with roti or rice and yoghurt

To make it hot & spicy – add a chopped red chilli with the other spices!