Perfect pizza

If you make the dough the day before, the rest is quick and easy. The result: authentic pizza with a thin, crisp base.

Ingredients

250-350ml/8¾-12¾fl oz lukewarm water
1 tbsp active dried yeast
550g/1lb 3½oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp clear honey
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing

Preparation method

1. Pour 150ml/5¼fl oz of the water into a bowl and sprinkle over the yeast. Stir to dissolve, then leave to rest in a warm place for ten minutes.
2. Sift the flour, salt and pepper into a large bowl. Stir the honey and olive oil into the yeast mixture until well combined.
3. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the yeast mixture, mixing to form a soft and slightly sticky dough. Add enough of the remaining water, little by little, until you have achieved the correct consistency.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and lightly flour your hands. Knead the dough for ten minutes until it is smooth and pliable.
5. Lightly oil a large bowl - it should be big enough to allow the dough to double in size. Put the dough inside and cover with cling film. Set aside in a warm place for 1-2 hours.
6. When the dough has doubled in size, remove the cling film and punch the dough down. Remove from the bowl and knead again until smooth. Divide into five round balls and let the dough rest before shaping.
7. To shape the dough, lift a ball of dough on to a lightly floured work surface and lightly flour the top. Flatten the dough with your fingers before picking it up and slapping it onto your work surface. Repeat this a couple of times. Now drape the dough over your clenched fist and stretch it gently from the outside rim.
8. Place the dough in well-floured pizza tins or baking sheets, top with your choice of toppings and bake in a hot oven until the topping is melted and the edges are crispy.
source:www.bbc.co.uk

Spanish tortilla

Have dinner on the table in 30 minutes with this simple and tasty Spanish tortilla recipe.

Recipe by Kim Coverdale

Ingredients

Nutrition
Specials
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 rashers middle bacon, trimmed, chopped
2 medium sebago potatoes, peeled, very thinly sliced
1 medium red capsicum, cut into 2cm pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Mixed salad leaves, to serve

Method Notes

Step 1

Heat oil in a 22cm (base) heavy-based, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and bacon. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until onion has softened. Add potato, capsicum, parsley and paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until potato is just tender and starts to brown.

Step 2

Preheat grill on medium. Whisk eggs, milk and parmesan together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Pour egg mixture evenly over potato mixture. Lift and tilt pan to distribute egg mixture. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until tortilla is almost set (eggs should be set underneath but surface still runny).

Step 4

Place under grill. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until just set and light golden (not browned). Set aside for 2 minutes. Loosen with a spatula and turn onto a plate or chopping board. Cut into wedges. Serve with salad leaves.

source: www.taste.com.au

Ultra-Thin-Crust Pizza with Onions, Mushrooms, and Ricotta

When I first encountered a recipe for a thin-crust pizza using a flour tortilla as a base I was indignant. “That’s not a pizza! That’s a quesadilla!” But I soon got over my ire. This approach is actually rather brilliant, a great example of borrowing from one cuisine to expand another. The recipe for this thin-crust pizza is inspired by one I found in Everyday Food magazine. The trick is to keep the toppings thin and light, otherwise the crust will end up being soggy. It really helps to use a pizza stone; the pizza will cook up faster and crisper. I’ve included directions for both using a stone and not.
Ultra-Thin-Crust Pizza with Onions, Mushrooms, and Ricotta Recipe
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INGREDIENTS
Olive oil
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
Pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 large flour tortillas (sandwich wraps)
1 cup shredded Asiago cheese (about 2 ounces)
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
6 button or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Equipment needed:
It really helps to have a baking stone and a pizza peel. If not, you'll use a rimmed baking sheet with some parchment paper.

Cheese Pizza

Kids will love this easy cheese pizza that uses bottled pizza sauce and two kinds of cheese. The homemade pizza crust makes it special.

Ingredients

Basic Pizza Dough
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup fat-free bottled pizza sauce
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Position one oven rack in the middle setting. Position another rack in the lowest setting, and place a rimless baking sheet on the bottom rack. Preheat oven to 500°.

Remove plastic wrap from Basic Pizza Dough; discard plastic. Brush olive oil over dough. Remove preheated baking sheet from oven, and close oven door. Slide dough onto preheated baking sheet, using a spatula as a guide. Bake on lowest oven rack at 500° for 8 minutes. Remove from oven.

Spread sauce in an even layer over crust, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake on middle rack an additional 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese melts. Cut into 12 wedges.

Greek-Style Pizza

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 (6-ounce) bag prewashed baby spinach
1 (10-ounce) Italian cheese-flavored thin pizza crust (such as Boboli)
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 (2 1/4-ounce) can sliced ripe black olives, drained

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly wilted. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread sauce over pizza crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border; top with baby spinach, feta cheese, pepper, and olives. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Basil and Tomato Pizza

Pizza often gets lumped in with junk food, but the right slice can be filled with antioxidants, fiber, and calcium. Try our 13 light pizzas that include classic pies as well as barbecue chicken, vegetarian, and white pizza recipes.

Basil and Tomato Pizza

Using premade whole-wheat dough adds fiber and cuts prep time in half. Plus tomatoes are low-cal and rich in cancer-fighting lycopene.

Ingredients: Whole-wheat refrigerated crust, flour, cornmeal, garlic, part-skim mozzarella, Parmesan, prosciutto, tomatoes, basil, crushed red pepper

Ingredients

1 (14-ounce) whole-wheat refrigerated pizza crust dough
All-purpose flour and cornmeal, as needed
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 cup preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 ounces prosciutto
3/4 pound assorted tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 550°. Place dough on a lightly floured surface; roll into a 13-inch round. Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal, and place dough on top; top with remaining ingredients.

2. Bake on bottom rack until cheese is melted and crust is crisp (about 8 minutes). Slice into 8 pieces; serve.