Fluffy Pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza? Pizza is one of our favorite dinners here and of course, homemade pizza is always the best. I have tried a lot of pizza dough recipes. This, is the one that I prefer when I want my pizza to be fluffy (that is most of times). The Italian herbs and the garlic give the dough a nice aroma. You can skip it if you want but I recommend you give it a try.

Fluffy pizza dough

Recipe adapted from here

Ingredients

450g strong white plain flour
½ teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon Italian herbs
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons dried active yeast

300ml lukewarm water

Makes two medium pizza bases or a big one

In a big bowl mix together flour, yeast at the opposite side to the salt, sugar, the herbs and the garlic. Next put the oil. Prepare the water. It has to be about 37 ^o C. If it is too warm the yeast will burn and it will never rise. It should be slightly warm when you touch it with your finger. Start by adding the water and at the same time knead the dough, either with a mixer or by hand for about 5 minutes. I usually add the water gradually, I let the dough absorb the water and then add more until I have added it all. After you have kneaded for 5 minutes let it rest for 5 minutes. After the resting time, put the mixer on again for 5 minutes or continue kneading by hand for another 5 minutes. Grease a bowl lightly with olive oil and your hands, transfer the dough into the greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Put it in a warm place and let it rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven in 180 ^oC/ 375 ^o F.

After proving, tip it out onto your work surface with a little bit of flour to stop it from sticking. Knock the air out of the dough using your fists. Split it in half for two medium pizzas or make it a big one.

As for the sauce, I usually make this quick and easy sauce. It tastes nice and doesn’t make the pizza dough damp.

Quick Pizza Sauce

Ingredients

70-80 gr tomato puree or about 5 tablespoons

2 tablespoons ketchup

3 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon olive oil

Oregano

Pepper

Garlic powder

Just mix all the ingredients together and put it on your rolled pizza dough.

Put your favorite toppings on your pizza and bake it for about 10 minutes. It depends on your oven if it will need a little more or a little less.

This time, I made a simple margarita with mozzarella and basil and another one with cheese, bacon, peppers and mushrooms and a little oregano on top. The second one is our favorite and the one that we usually make.