For a family sized pizza you will need:
For the base:
300g strong white bread flour
1 7g sachet dried yeast
warm water about 200ml
salt
2 tablespoons olive oil.
For the sauce:
6 medium ripe tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
olive oil
tip of a chilli pepper
For the topping:
There are really no rules and you can put on whatever you like, but these are my chosen favourites
200g serrano ham thinly sliced
1 green pepper cut into strips
200g mushrooms, sliced
2 tins anchovies
handful of black olives stoned and sliced
handful dried oregano or thyme
1 packet pizza cheese or mozzarella
How to cook:
1. The base:
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and yeast.
2. Add the olive oil and the water and begin binding together with a knife.
3. When the mixture begins to come together use your hands and begin kneeding the dough.
4. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and kneed really well for about 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth.
5. Place the dough into a floured bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for about one and a half hours in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.
2. The sauce
1. While the dough is rising, roughly chop the tomatoes and put into a large pan over a high heat.
2. As the tomatoes begin to cook break them up with the back of a wooden spoon.
3. Chop the garlic and the tip of the chilli pepper and add to the tomatoes.
4. Mix well adding a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar.
5. Turn down the heat and cook for about half an hour until the sauce thickens.
6. When the sauce is at the desired consistency, stir in a tablespoon of olive oil and leave to cool.
3. The topping
1. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and add the peppers and mushrooms.
2. Cook for about 2 mins moving the ingredients around as you do. Dont cook for any longer, this is just to start them off cooking before they go into the oven.
4. Bringing it together.
1. When the dough has doubled in size, remove from the bowl and on a floured surface bash it about a bit before rolling it out to the size of your baking tray.
2. Once rolled out, pick up the dough carefully and toss it between your hands to stretch it a bit, then place the base onto your oiled baking tray
3. Spoon on the tomato sauce going right to the edges.
4. Add your serrano ham, mushrooms, peppers, anchovies and olives. Scatter a handful of the tyme or oregano and then finally add the cheese.
5. Bake in a moderate oven for about 20-25 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the base is golden.
6. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with a salad.
