I never really think to make pizza for dinner. It’s the kind of meal I’d rather take out than actually make from scratch. Baking a pizza in the oven also feels so wrong, right? Real pizza ovens just makes it look so easy and delivers that thin and crispy base like no other.
So I was tempted the other day when I saw how lonely my mushrooms and cherry tomatoes seemed to be in the bottom drawer of the fridge.
It was clean-out-the-fridge day, and what better way to use those last bit of fridge foraging as toppings for pizza.
For the pizza base, I used the very popular pizza dough recipe from Jamie Oliver. Guys, there is no need to try and use or create another pizza dough recipe – it won’t be as good as this one.
These little pizzas are perfect for the kids after a hectic day of school and sports. You can even make them smaller and serve them as a starter or snack over the weekend before the big braai. Lunch boxes will love them and the men will devour them in no time. Be warned. Enjoy!
Prep Time | 30 min |
Cook Time | 40 min |
Servings | mini pizzas |
- 400 gr flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 gr instant yeast sachet
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 320 ml warm water
- 5 tablespoons neapolitan pasta sauce
- pinch chili flakes for each pizza base
- 100 gr grated cheddar cheese
- 250 gr mushrooms sliced
- 200 gr cherry tomatoes sliced
- 125 gr fresh mozzarella cheese
- fresh basil leaves to garnish
Ingredients Pizza Base
Toppings
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- On a clean surface, sift the flour and salt onto a heap.
- In another mixing bowl combine the yeast, sugar, olive oil and water. Leave for a few minutes until yeast and sugar has dissolved.
- Make a whole in the middle of the flour heap and add the liquids little by little, using a fork to incorporate it into the flour.
- Keep working the liquids through the dry ingredients until you are left with a slightly sticky, manageable dough.
- Cover with cling wrap and place it in a floured bowl - leave to rise in a warm room until double its size.
- Now you can knead the dough down, break the dough into smaller pieces and refrigerate the rest. You can make about 10 small pizzas like these. This recipe is for 5.
- Roll each piece of dough out until 2 cm thick – arrange on an oven safe baking tray.
- Spread each disk with Neapolitan sauce, sprinkle with chilli flakes, cover with cheddar, mushrooms and chopped cherry tomatoes.
- Bake in a hot oven 200 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes until cheese has melted and the dough turns colour.
- Remove form heat and arrange the mozzarella cheese on the pizzas. Return to the oven for another 8 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh basil.