Pizza from Scratch

Ingredients:

Flour: 300 gms
Olive oil or other oil 2-3 tbsps
Salt 1 tsp
Dry yeast 1.25 tsp
Cheese: 100 gms - grate
Mixed Italian herbs
Milled Pepper
Warm water to mix
Sliced tomatoes, onions, capsicums, olives etc for topping.

Method:

Add salt and yeast to the flour and oil. Mix well. Add warm water little by little and knead into a soft dough. Put it in a deep bowl and cover loosely with a damp cloth and place in a warm place for 2 to 3 hours. Let it rise to double the size.

Take the dough and spread (do not grease) it into desired shapes- either individual mini pizzas or large one. You can oil your fingers if needed. Prick with the fork in several places. Spread tomato sauce (Recipe below). Sprinkle cheese and layer the vegetables on top. Sprinkle pepper and mixed Italian herbs like Oregano, rosemary. Dot with oil. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 250 degrees C. Take care not to brown the crust. Cool and cut.

Tomato Sauce:

Tomatoes- 4 large

Onion- 1 small

Garlic- 1 tsp chopped

Capsicum-1/2 chopped

Olive or other oil

sugar, salt to taste

Dried oregano- 1 tsp

Milled pepper- 1 tsp

Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water. Peel and grate the pulp or chop fine. Heat oil and saute the onion, garlic and capsicum for a few minutes. Add the tomato pulp and simmer until the sauce thickens a little. Add sugar, salt, pepper powder and simmer a little longer. Add the oregano and cool.