Ingredients
Pizza Dough
Basic tomato sauce
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
5.Heat olive oil in a medium pan; add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until onion is soft.
6.Add tomatoes, tomato paste, caster sugar and oregano; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes or until the mixture is very thick.
7.Stir in basil; season to taste.
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.
Note
