Vegan pizza

I should have put this recipe up earlier but it slipped by me so I am here to rectify my error.

This is so quick and easy to make, it is a real winner with kids because they can top it how ever they like.

So to start with the dough; to make two baking trays of pizza I do the following,

 16oz (1 pound) of whole wheat flour, any will do like strong bread flour or plain or self raising, they all seem to work.

2/3 medium teaspoons of dried yeast. I think the amount of yeast need varies depending on which flour you are using

1x teaspoon of sugar, I use light brown Muscovado but apparently you could use any sweetening agent to feed the yeast so use what ever you have to get those yeast bubbling.

2/3 tablespoons of good olive oil.

Salt to taste.

3/4 fill an average tea mug with very warm but not boiling water and stir in yeast and sugar, leave aside to bubble up on the surface.

Put the flour, salt, and olive oil in a bowl and give it stir, pour on the bubbly yeast mixture and stir, if it is too dry add a little more warm water, if it is too wet add a little more flour. You want to aim for a dough that is kneed-able but not so wet it is too sticky. Knead for a few minutes, place in a bowl with a tea towel over it in a warm place and leave to rise for about an hour.

Now make a sauce by chopping an onion finely and frying in a generous amount of olive oil, don't let it go brown, just translucent then add about 8 or 10 cloves of crushed garlic or to your taste and a generous amount of Italian seasoning, I like Sainsbury's but any will do, about 2 or 3 teaspoons or again to your taste. Salt and black pepper, as much as you like. Cook for a minute or two then add a tin of peeled plum tomatoes and chop in the pan or use chopped tomatoes, add about a good tablespoon of tomato puree/ paste, give it a stir and cook for about 5/10 minutes stirring now and then, remove from heat and set aside.

As any one who likes pizza knows you can top with what ever you like. This is my favourite topping,

Sliced onion rings, sliced tomato, red and green pepper slices and black and green olives (stones removed and halved). I then crumble over a generous amount of vegan cheese, see recipe on previous blog, salt and pepper and a drizzle of good olive oil.

Note

 I have found that using fresh tomatoes even thinly sliced can mean a soggy bottom because they hold water so have stopped using them as they are already present in the sauce. Also onions and peppers or any other veg are best diced quite small and sprinkled thinly which gives the crust a better chance of cooking right through.

So the method is when the dough has risen knead it again for a few minutes, lightly oil two shallow baking trays, some times called Swiss roll tins, with olive oil, halve the dough and press out each half to cover the tray, I made it recently and the base was too thick and stodgy so next time I make it I will roll the dough as thinly as possible to try and get a crispy base, spread the sauce, add toppings, I go with onion rings,tomatoes then peppers (see above note) and olives finishing with lots of vegan cheese sprinkled in small pieces and a drizzle of olive oil.

I cook them in a preheated hot oven heated to about 240 or full on so quite a high heat to try and replicate a hot pizza oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the crust starts to brown at the edges.

This recipe might sound a bit long but it's not because the dough takes 10 minutes, the sauce takes only a few minutes then you just put it together and place in the oven and kids love it.

I like to drizzle with chilli oil once on the plate and have it with a green salad with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, delicious, enjoy.