Pizza dough and basic tomato sauce
Once you've made your own pizza dough you'll never go back to ready-made bases. When looking for a warm place to rest your dough, opt for a sunny spot or on the open door of the oven set on the lowest temperature.
Feb 28, 2007 1:00pm- Makes 2 Item
- 1 hr cooking
ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 2 teaspoon (7g) dry yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
- 3/4 cup (180ml) warm water
- 2 cup (300g) plain flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Basic tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 clove garlic, crushed
- 410 gram canned crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup (70g) tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- salt and pepper
method
Pizza dough
- 1
Combine yeast, sugar and water in a small bowl; cover. Stand in a warm place about 10 minutes, or until frothy.
- 2
Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture and olive oil; mix to a soft dough. Bring the dough together with your hands. Add a little extra water, if necessary, to make sure all ingredients are incorporated.
- 3
Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Push the dough with the heel of your hand, and give it a quarter turn each time. Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl; cover. Stand in a warm place about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- 4
"Punch" the dough down with your fist, then knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Roll out as desired.
Basic tomato sauce
- 1
Heat olive oil in a medium pan; add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until onion is soft.
- 2
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, caster sugar and oregano; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes or until the mixture is very thick.
- 3
Stir in basil; season to taste.
notes
Makes one thick-crust or 2-3 thin-crust pizza bases. For a thick-crust pizza, use the whole quantity of dough or, for thinner crusts, make two or three pizzas from the one quantity of dough. Dough can be made several hours ahead; store in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. (Refrigeration will slow down the rising of the dough.) Dough and sauce suitable to freeze.