Cook Along Pizza Two Ways

This is a great pizza for both adults and children to make, no proving required and choose your favourite toppings, I've given you a choice of two pizza bases as there was a shortage of ingredients during last year's lockdown.

Makes 1 x 20-25cm pizza, you can make as many as you like!!! You can make them to order 1 at a time if you only have one baking tray.

If you want to make them later for lunch or supper, you can prep the dough and put it in the fridge, take it out 30 mins before cooking.

What you need:

Yeast based pizza:

• 200g, strong plain flour, plus extra to dust 

• ½ x 7g sachet (1tsp) fast action dried yeast

• ½ tsp fine sea salt

• ½ tsp caster sugar

• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle 

• 130ml warm water measured in a jug

Scone based Pizza:

• 200g self raising flour

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• ½ tsp fine sea salt

• 125ml water measured in a jug

Tomato sauce:

• 4 tbsp passata or tinned tomatoes

• 1 tbsp red or green pesto

Choose your favourite toppings:

• 100g cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, goats cheese

• handful black or green olives

• ½ coloured  pepper, sliced

• sliced onion

• 3-4 mushrooms, sliced

• a few slices ham, pepperoni

• handful cherry tomatoes

• a handful of rocket, spinach 

• dried or fresh herbs, basil or oregano

• or add your own favourite topping

Equipment: large baking tray or pizza stone, sheet of baking parchment large enough for 1 pizza,  mixing bowl, wooden spoon or flat bladed knife, rolling pin (can use a jam jar or bottle) small bowl, dessert spoon, grater for cheese.

What to do:

Yeast dough:

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C, 200° gas 8

2. Place a baking tray or pizza stone in the oven to heat up.

3. Mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the oil, then gradually add about 130ml water. Mix with a round bladed knife or wooden spoon until the mixture forms a dough.

4. Tip out onto a floured surface and knead for 1 minute, just until smooth. Leave to rest under the upturned bowl while you prepare your pizza toppings.

Scone based dough:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6

2. Place a baking tray or pizza stone in the oven to heat up.

3. Mix the self raising flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the olive oil. Gradually add the water a little at a time, stirring until the mixture forms a dough.

4. Knead for 1 minute until smooth. Leave to rest under the upturned bowl while you prepare your pizza toppings.

For both doughs:

1. Place a large baking tray in the oven to warm up. Lightly flour your work surface, sprinkle a large square of parchment paper with flour, lift the dough onto the paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to about a 25-30cm circle or an oblong to fit your baking tray/stone. Pull and stretch it to the right size. Pinch a rim around the edge.

2. Mix together the passata and pesto and spread over the pizza base.

3. Add your toppings and sprinkle with cheese. Slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stones or hot baking trays, still on the lining paper to help lift them easily. Bake for 15 -25 minutes until the base is golden and crisp.

Steph's Top Tips

• Have everything weighed out before you start.

• Some ovens are quite hot so check after about 12 mins.