My Homemade vegetable pizzaWhose doesnt like this?I love it and I am sure many love it too.May it be a Pan pizza, thin crust, or a hand-tossed pizza... the reaction by me is always yummmmm...!I feel like kissing the hand that invented this full or cheese, high calorie, less nutritional, junk but yet heavenly tasting dish....the only word i can say for him is "Bravo".
Some fact about pizza and its origin.Lets listen to what the inventors say.... Pizza is suppose to have originated from italy. So, how is pizza made in Italy?
Lazio style: Pizza in
Lazio (
Rome), as well as in many other parts of
Italy is available in 2 different "flavors": 1) In take-away shops so-called "Pizza Rustica" or "Pizza a Taglio". Pizza is cooked in long, rectangular baking pans and relatively thick (1-2 cm). The crust similar to that of an
English muffin and mostly cooked in an electric oven. When purchased, it is usually cut with scissors or knife and priced by weight. 2) In Pizza Restaurants (Pizzerias) it is served in a dish in its traditional round shape. It features a thin crust similar to the Neapolitan style. It is mostly cooked in a wood-fired oven which gives pizza its unique flavor and texture. In Rome a "Pizza Napoletana" is topped with tomato, mozzarella, anchovies and oil (thus, what in
Naples is called "Pizza Romana", in
Rome is called "Pizza Napoletana").
Other types of Lazio-style pizza include:
Pizza Romana (in
Naples): tomato, mozzarella, anchovies, oregano, oil;
Pizza
Viennese: tomato, mozzarella, German
sausage, oregano, oil;
Pizza Capricciosa ("Capricious Pizza"): mozzarella, tomato, mushrooms, artichokes, cooked ham, olives, oil (in
Rome,
Prosciutto raw ham is used and half a hard-boiled egg is added);
Pizza Quattro Stagioni ("Four Seasons Pizza"): same ingredients for the Capricciosa, but ingredients not mixed;
Pizza Quattro Formaggi ("Four Cheese Pizza"): tomatoes, mozzarella,
stracchino,
fontina,
gorgonzola (sometimes
ricotta can be swapped for one of the last three);
Hot from Oven ready to be sliced
Different places different styles and tastes. Pizza is one dish with had adopted so many disguishes and captured the heart of people in that region. For got different coutries, did you know that US itself has around 12 varieties of pizzas......depending on the place we stay....and their speciality......
Various toppings may be added, most typically:
sauce, although traditionally tomato-based, pesto, alfredo and barbecue sauce are also used;
cheese, usually mozzarella but also provolone, cheddar, or a blend of other cheeses;
herbs and seasonings such as basil, oregano and black pepper;
fruits and vegetables such as garlic, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, eggplant, olives, onions, spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers, banana peppers, jalepenos and pineapple;
meat, such as sausage (pepperoni, salami or Italian sausage), ham, bacon, ground beef, and chicken, or seafood such as anchovies, tuna, salmon and shrimp;
In some pizza recipes the tomato sauce is omitted (termed "white pizza"), or replaced with another sauce (usually garlic butter, but sauces can also be made with spinach or onions). In the Philadelphia area there are also tomato pies — sauce only, or sauce with ripe Roma tomatoes and spices but no cheese — and upside-down pizzas, i.e., the cheese on the bottom and topped with sauce. Pizza is normally eaten hot (typically at lunch or dinner), but is sometimes eaten as cold leftovers for breakfast.
New York-style pizza is a style originally developed in New York City by immigrants from Naples, where pizza was created. It is often sold in generously sized, thin and flexible slices. It is traditionally hand-tossed, moderate on sauce, and moderately covered with cheese essentially amounting to a much larger version of the Neapolitan style. The slices are sometimes eaten folded in half, or even stacked, as its size and flexibility may otherwise make it unwieldy to eat by hand. This style of pizza tends to dominate the Northeastern states, and is very similar to the basic style common through the United States and known simply as pizza. Many pizza establishments in the New York metropolitan area offer two varieties of pizza: "Neapolitan", or "regular", made with a relatively thin, circular crust and served in wedge-shaped slices, and "Sicilian", or "square", made with a thicker, rectangular crust and served in large, rectangular slices.
Chicago-style pizza, or Chicago-style deep dish pizza, contains a crust which is formed up the sides of a deep-dish pan. It reverses the order of ingredients, using crust, cheese, filling, then sauce on top. Some versions (usually referred to as "stuffed") have two layers of crust with the sauce on top. The invention of deep-dish pizza is "as American as apple pie", transcending a single ethnic origin. Deep-dish pizza was invented by Ike Sewell (a Chicago Jew) and first served in 1943 at Pizzeria Uno, which is still operating along with its twin restaurant, Pizzeria Due, in the River North neighborhood.
Chicago-style thin crust pizza has a thinner crust than Chicago-style deep dish, and is baked flat rather than in a deep dish pan. The crust is thin and firm enough to have a noticeable crunch, unlike a New York-style pizza, yet thick enough to be soft and doughy on the top. The crust is invariably topped with a liberal quantity of southern-Italian style tomato sauce, which is usually quite herbal or highly spiced, and typically contains no visible chunks of tomato. Next, a layer of toppings is added, and a layer of mozzarella cheese which frequently separates from the bottom crust due to the quantity of tomato sauce. Chicago-style thin crust pizzas are cut into three- or four-inch squares, also known as "party cut," as opposed to a "pie cut" into wedges. The small size of the squares makes it unnecessary to fold the slices. Chicago-style pizza is prevalent throughout the Midwestern USA. Chains that are well known for Chicago-style thin crust pizza are Home Run Inn and Old Chicago.
St. Louis-style pizza is a variant of thin-crust popular in and around St. Louis, Missouri. The most notable characteristic of St. Louis-style pizza is the distinctively St. Louisan Provel cheese used instead of (or rarely in addition to) the mozzarella common to Chicago-style thin crust.
California-style pizza refers to pizza with non-traditional ingredients, especially those that use a considerable amount of fresh produce. A Thai-inspired chicken pizza with peanut sauce, bean sprouts, and shaved carrots is a popular variant in California-style pizza restaurants, as are pizzas that use chicken and barbecue sauce as toppings. The style was invented by Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, California, and popularized by the California Pizza Kitchen chain, along with Wolfgang Puck's various fine dining and casual restaurant chains and retail products.
Greek pizza is a variation popular in New England; its name comes from it being typical of the style of pizzerias owned by Greek immigrants. It has a thicker, chewier crust and is baked in a pan in the pizza oven, instead of directly on the bricks. Plain olive oil is a common part of the topping. Variations in other parts of the country include using feta cheese, Kalamata olives, and Greek herbs such as oregano.
Hawaiian pizza has Canadian Bacon (or sliced ham) and pineapple toppings with Mozzarella cheese. This type of pizza is especially popular in the Western United States, and is also a popular topping combination in Australia, Canada, and Sweden, but notably not in Hawaii. This type is also common within the EU, where it is known as Pizza Hawaii.
Taco pizza has ingredients usually associated with tacos, such as; lettuce, shredded beef or hamburger, chopped tomatoes, avocados, corn chips, cheddar cheese, sour cream and taco sauce.
Grilled pizza, invented in Providence, Rhode Island, uses a fairly thin crust cooked on a grill; the toppings are placed on the baked side after the pizza has cooked for a bit and flipped over.
English muffin or French bread pizza and pizza bagel are common convenience pizzas made at home in an oven or toaster, usually with a simple topping of tomato purée, sliced or shredded cheese, and perhaps pepperoni. French bread pizza is sometimes available commercially as a frozen meal.
New Haven-style pizza, also known as apizza, popular in southern Connecticut. It has a thin crust that varies between chewy and tender, depending on the particular establishment. The default version is a "white" pizza topped with only garlic and hard cheeses; customers who want tomato sauce or mozzarella cheese have to ask for them explicitly. Apizza has a very dark, "scorched" crisp crust that offers a distinctive bitter flavor, which can be offset by the sweetness of tomatoes or other toppings.
Amazing isnt it? Being in US i have eaten just 3 styles of these pizzas and I am now setting my eyes on eating or greek style pizza..... sound interesting.
Anyways, now getting back to the subject, my home made vegetable pizza.I am so happy and excited about the way the pizza turned out. I have always been a bit messing and unlucky when it comes to baking, but i guess now my stars are shining out. I got the pizza dough recipe somewhere online and had made a note of it, but never had the patience to try. So here iam noe trying it.The pizza turned out just like the one we get in pizza hut or dominoes. It even smelt so good. Okie okie... enough of my blah blah lets go to the recipe.
You need :
For the pizza base dough : for making 2 medium pizzas
All purpose flour - 1 2/3 cups
Salt - 1 tsp
Fine sugar - 1/2 tsp
Luke warm water - 1 cup
Dry active yeast - 1 tbsp
Olive oil - 4 tbsp
For the toppings for one pizza :
Presto sauce or marinara red sauce - 2 tbsp
Olive oil - 3 tsp
Dry Oregano - 2tsp
Vegetable toppings :
Onion - 1/2 sliced
Green bell pepper - 1/2 sliced
fresh mushroom - 2 sliced
Olives - 1/2 cup sliced or whole
Jalapeno - 1 sliced
red bell pepper - 1/2 sliced
Mozarella cheese 1 cup
You can add any other topping you want, like pineapple chunks, broccolli etc.
Method :
In a big glass bowl take the flour, salt and sugar, mix it well. Pour in the olive oil and mix well again removing any lumps. In a cup take luke warm water and put the yeast in the cup and mix well. keep it aside for 5 minutes allowing the yeast to dissolve well. Once the yeast is ready pour it into the flour and mix well to form a nice soft dough. The dough will be a bit sticky. Its okie.Add some more oil if needed. Now, cover this dough and keep it aside for nearly 3 1/2 to 4 hours. The dough needs this much time to rise. After 4 hours you will see the dough has almost doubled in size.
(sorry I havent taken step by step procedure pictures as I wasnt very sure how the pizza is turn out... I didnt even have a slightest idea it woud be so good. Will put in the pictures when I make the next time..)
Now, before making your pizza make ur vegetable toppings ready. I have used readymade presto sauce available in market, so that cuts my job of making sauce. You may also use pizza sauce. Once all ur vegetables n sauce are ready, let bake our pizza.
Pre heat your oven to 500 degrees with your pizza stone inside. I didnt have a pizza stone, so i used a big pizza plate. Take another pizza plate or any other flat plate where in u can make your pizza and later easily slide it into the oven for cooking. Normally they use a pizza peel for this. As i didnt have a peel too so i used another smaller piiza plate to make my pizza and slide it in.Putting a plate or stone in the oven for heating and then transfering the pizza into it helps the pizza to cook well and makes the base nice and crisp. So put one pizza plate or stone in the oven. Dust the other pizza plate with all purpose flour and keep it ready for making your pizza. If you dont have a pizza plate you can use any oven proof big plate for making your pizza and transfering.
Start with dividing the dough into half, take one half of the dough and dust flour to the pizza plate and on the dough. Press the dough a bit with ur palm and then start rolling it lightly using a rolling pin (Belan). when u have got a light round shape, keep the rolling in aside and spread the dough with your fingers.Before u start putting your topping i would suggest u to lightly lift ur pizza base and dust some more flour on the plate, so that pizza slides on the stone/ plate easily.
Now once your base is ready... brush olive oil on it, and pour in a table spoon of prest sauce in the centre of the base and spread it on the base, just like how u make dosa. See that the sauce doesnt go out of the base. Leave around 3-4 cm border around the pizza while spreading the sauce. Sprinkle the oregano on the pizza.Now put 3/4 of the mozarella cheese on the base. Now arrange all the toppings on it and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Now , this is a bit tricky. To transfer the pizza. place ur pizza plate in an angle above ur pizza stone and slightly shake it, or push the pizza lightly to move it on the stone. See that u dont tear ur pizza while moving it. Dont apply too much pressure. REMEMBER : the pizza shud slid on the stone. Dont worry if your not able to transfer it. Start making the pizza on an oven proof plate so that if by chance you cant transfer it to the stone, u can always keep the plate inside the oven. And after 10 minutes once ur pizza cooks a bit u can easily move it on ur pizza plate / stone for further cooking.
Now obe u have transfered you pizza to the stone, Reduce the oven heat to 450-degrees cook it for 15 minutes or until the top of the pizza becomes light brown and crisp. You pizza is ready to be served.
Sprinkle some crushed red peper over it and serve it hot with tomato sauce. Enjoy your pizza hut style home made pizza!
