Home Made Pizza Base with Various Toppings

Pizza is a favourite in my household.  I no longer buy pizza bases as I used to, as it is quite easy to make this, and once again, I know what has gone into it, and there are fewer chemicals if home made.

The other thing about making your own bases is that you can have them as thick or as thin as YOU like it.

There is one other huge benefit - my grandchildren do not like vegetables, but you can grate vegetables into this base, and they will not even taste it.  I call this "hidden vegetables", and it is a great way to get people who do not eat vegetables to at least eat carrot.

I generally always put grated carrot in my base, however this is, of course an optional extra.

You can put whatever you want on the toppings, and in this case, some of the visitors did not like certain items, so I had to make a different one for everyone!

The ingredients in the toppings are therefore suggestions only, and can be varied to suit.

Preparation Time: 45 minutes plus standing time
Cooking Time: 15 minutes, plus time to bake eggplant and onion, if using
Serves: 5 medium pizzas

Ingredients
For the dough

1 cup lukewarm water

1 tbsp sugar

2½ tsp yeast 

Flour

¼ cup oil
1 carrot, grated (optional)

For the toppings

Pizza sauce

Cheese, grated - I used about 200 g

Pepperoni

Pineapple

Ham

Jalapenos

Olives

Onions - baked

Eggplant - baked

Instructions
For the dough

Mix the water, sugar and yeast together.

Let it rest for about 10 minutes, and then add about ¼ cup of oil.

Add some flour until it looks and feels right, and then knead until it is elastic.   You COULD use a mixture of white and wholemeal flours, however the flour is something I do not measure.  I just keep adding and mixing till it is elastic - start off with a cup.

Line a large bowl with oil, or oil spray. 

Put in the dough, cover it and let it rest in a warm place until it is about double the size.  This will depend on how warm it is.  If it is a cold day, I turn the oven on low, and then turn it off and put the dough in the oven!

Punch the dough, divide it into 5 or so balls, and let it stand for another ten minutes or so, and then put it on a floured surface and roll out.

For the toppings

First of all, spread the tomato pizza sauce thinly on each one.

Then add some of the grated cheese, to taste - I like mine with a lot of cheese both on the bottom and on top of the toppings!

Add whichever toppings you want, and be creative with this.  I made one into a Calzone, which meant it was folded over instead of flat.

I first baked some onions and thinly sliced eggplant.

I made one with ham and cheese only;  another with Pepperoni and ham; another with jalapenos, olives, eggplant, onions, and pineapple; one with ham and pineapple, and one with the lot!

Put the topping of choice on top of your bases, and I lined each tray with baking paper to save on washing up.  If I am making just one pizza, I always use a proper pizza ceramic base to cook it on.

Bake in a preheated oven 220°/200° fan forced until they start to go golden brown and the bases appear cooked - this is only about 10 minutes.

Cut into whatever shapes and sizes you want, serve and best eaten with fingers!