Making It – Simple Healthy Home-Made Pizza

I am definitely one for building simple family traditions. One that we’ve been trying out at Chez Wright is cinema night.

Saturday night is now Pizza and Popcorn in front of the box (in the wind down to bedtime). Yeah I know TV – shame on me ;-)! But those who follow my blog regularly know that I’m not convinced that TV Ruined Your Life.

One for building traditions, but also one for making from scratch where I can. Pizza at Chez Wright doesn’t get delivered in a box (well hardly ever!), but gets made with a little help from the Kids themselves. I’m keen for the Kids to get ‘hands on’ in the kitchen, and this is such an easy and fun recipe. Kids love to see the dough after it has risen!

(I won’t go into all the costings here between home-made, shop bought or delivered – check this post for that information).

I’m calling this recipe Healthy Home-Made Pizza, because I was informed by my 7-year-old the other day that ‘pizza is unhealthy’. My reply was ‘not the way Mommy makes it!’.

This recipe will make 2 x 10″ round thin crust pizzas. This is enough for our family of 2 adults and 2 young children, we add salad and sometimes garlic bread to make a meal. If you wish to make 4 pizzas, just double the quantities.

You will need:

100 grams (3.5oz) of strong wholemeal bread flour

200 grams (7oz) of strong white bread flour

1 teaspoon (5ml) of easy bake yeast

1 teaspoon (5ml) of sugar

1 teaspoon (5ml) of dried mixed herbs or oregano

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon (15ml) of oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)

175ml (6floz) of warm (2/3 boiling) water. I boil a kettle and use 4floz boiling and 2floz cold to get the correct temperature.

Approx 6 tablespoons (90ml) of double concentrate tomato puree

Grated cheese (I use cheddar) – quantity to your requirements

Dried mixed herbs or oregano

Step-by-step instructions:

Step 1

Pre-heat your oven to high (200 degrees in a fan-oven, Gas Mark 7 or 425F) In a large bowl mix together the 2 flours with a spoon. Add the yeast, sugar, salt and herbs, mix again. Then add the oil and mix once more.

Step 2

Gradually pour in the water, mixing with the spoon.

 Step 3

Once all combined started kneading. I do this in the bowl rather than on a worktop/counter (to reduce mess!).

Knead for approx. 5-6 minutes. I time myself by listening to 2 x tracks of a CD. Make sure the dough is soft, smooth and springy.

Step 4

Keeping the dough in the bowl cover with a damp tea-towel or alternatively slightly oiled clingfilm/wrap.

Leave to rise for about 90 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. I place mine in an airing cupboard for extra warmth (but you don’t need to do this).

Step 5

Remove and break the dough into 2. Then on a greased pizza tray place each equal sized ball and roll out to cover.

(Little hands need a little rolling-pin!)

Step 6

Spread approx 3 tablespoons of puree on each pizza – leaving about 2cm or an inch from the edges.

Then sprinkle over the grated cheese and add herbs if the Kids like ’em! Mine don’t!

At this point you could add all sorts of topping plus fresh tomato. I often do that for the adult pizza.

Just before baking spread some oil around the dough edge, and you can add a drizzle to the top also over the cheese, it makes the pizza look nicer when it comes out of the oven, but isn’t really required.

Step 7 

Place in your pre-heated oven for approx. 10 minutes, then enjoy!

Top Tip – If you do not want to cook immediately, wrap the dough in the clingfilm/wrap and place in the fridge. When ready to make the pizzas just leave out of the fridge at room temperature for about 15 minutes before splitting and rolling.

How do you do Pizza at yours? Please share…

** Please note that I am not a qualified nutritionist or professional cook.  My recipes are what I put together at home and all amounts etc… are approximate. What I write is my own experience of cooking the recipe.  Ovens and ingredients do vary – just go with it,  have fun and apply common sense at all times!  Practise makes perfect!

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