Super Pizza
Take half a bag (750grams or 1.5 pounds) of plain flour and place in mixing bowl. (tip: place approximately half bag in bowl and weigh remaining flour in bag with adjustments until this weighs 750g. Then you know the other half is in the bowl without the mess of measuring it directly)
Sprinkle in one sachet of dried yeast
Sprinkle in a good tablespoon of sugar, teaspoon of salt, tablespoon of dried herbs (oregano, parsley), teaspoon of ground pepper, garlic powder to your taste.
Add 450ml (or 1.5 pints) of warm water to bowl and mix.
(tip: place 300ml (1 pint) cold water in measuring jug and add boiling water to reach 450ml level. This gives the perfect temperature.)
Mix with hands until all water is absorbed then add 3 good tablespoons of olive oil. (a lighter oil like sunflower will give a lighter base. Experiment to find your perfect base.)
Keep turning and kneading dough until the oil is evenly mixed and the texture has a consistent feel to it.
Cover and leave for 2 or 3 hours until dough is at least 2 or 3 times its original size.
(tip: simply place bowl in empty microwave without additional covering to rise away from interfering hands.)
When risen cut into 3 portions and roll out with plenty of flour to prevent sticking to give 3 big pizza's.
(tip: each pizza is dinner plate size. Easy way of rolling out is to use a round bread or cutting board. Flour it and flour rolling pin)
Place on cooking dishes (heavier the better....tradition is stoneware) and leave for an hour in cool oven to rise again.
Place cooking oil on pizza surface with brush or fingers, then tomato base (jars of pizza sauce are super, otherwise concentrated tomato paste). Sprinkle grated cheese over. Add the chopped coverings that you like. (meats, onion, mushroom, olives, chopped tomato, garlic, spiced meats, tuna.....whatever you fancy. Be adventurous.)
Cook at 200c for about 20 minutes.
ENJOY!
Super Naan Bread
To accompany georgeous curries and all spiced dishes.
Make it just as the pizza base.... but: Use 1 part cold water , 1 part milk, 1 part boiling water for the liquid and add a good knob of butter to the warm liquid before adding to the flour. Add olive oil as before and knead in the same way. Makes 3 big Naan breads which can be frozen and microwaved later.