Learn how to make your own pizza dough with this fun pizza recipe.
Ingredients
175g strong plain flour (plus extra for sprinkling)
7g packet fast-acting dried yeast
1 x 5ml spoon sugar
3 x 5ml spoons olive oil
¼ x 5ml spoon salt
125ml warm water
1 clove garlic
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
2 x 5ml spoons tomato purée
1 x 15ml spoon dried oregano (plus extra for sprinkling)
125g mozzarella cheese
1 large red pepper
4 x 5ml spoons frozen sweetcorn
Black pepper (optional)
Equipment
Weighing scales
Measuring jug
Measuring spoons
Mixing bowl
Saucepan
Wooden spoon
Clean tea towel
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Can opener
Colander
Rolling pin
Knife or spatula for
spreading
Pizza tray or large
baking tray
Oven gloves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan or gas mark 6.
- Put the flour, yeast, salt, sugar and 1 x 5ml spoon of olive oil into the mixing bowl.
- Heat the water until just warm (not hot as it will kill the yeast). Gradually add the warm water and mix to form a soft dough.
- Dust a clean, dry work surface with a little flour and knead until the dough is smooth and stretchy. This will take around 10 minutes.
- Place the dough in the mixing bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.
- While the dough is rising, chop the garlic into small pieces. Measure 2 x 5ml spoons of olive oil into the saucepan and fry over a medium heat for around 1 minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée and oregano to the saucepan. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. The colour should change to a deep red. Add a little black pepper to taste (if using).
- Slice the mozzarella cheese.
- Wash the red pepper. Cut in half and remove the seeds and white pith. Slice into long, thin ½cm wide strips.
- When the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and knead it for another 5 minutes.
- Roll out the dough into a circle about 1cm thick and place on the pizza tray or large baking tray.
- Pour the tomato sauce over the pizza base and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese onto the pizza.
- Sprinkle the sweetcorn, red pepper and extra oregano over the pizza.
- Put the pizza in the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
Top Tips
- If your dough is a bit sticky add more flour. If it’s too dry add a little more warm water.
- You could try substituting some of the white flour in the pizza base for wholemeal flour.
- Kneading dough by hand can take up to 10 minutes, depending on your energy. Use your knuckles to push the dough away from you, fold the dough in half, turn it around and continue pushing the dough away from you. Keep working until the dough feels smooth and stretchy.
Something to try next time
Use different pizza toppings such as finely sliced mushrooms or onions.
Prepare now, eat later
- The sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance. Cool and store, covered, in the fridge or make a double quantity and freeze a batch for up to 2 months to make another pizza at a later date.
- The base can also be frozen at step 11 for up to 1 month. Defrost for 30 minutes on a baking tray before adding the toppings.
