Today I am updating my Homemade Pizza recipe and photograph. George and I made the pizzas in this picture, George made the small pizza and ate most of it, while my hubbie and I shared the larger pizza. So Daddy came home from work to a delicious pizza we had made from scratch. Dinner was made and my son was entertained at the same time! Normally I try to make dinner while he shouts for me to play with him; sometimes he tries to help, but there isn’t always something he can do. When we made this pizza he was kept busy and useful; he ate lots of this dinner and when he gets involved in adding all the ingredients touching and smelling it he eats his meal better. This reminds me of a saying I heard about feeding kids “If it’s on their plate it’s too late” which means if they help with making the meal they are more likely to eat it all.

Now, one reason that this pizza recipe is so good for kids is that it does not use yeast. Yeast requires the dough to rise which means waiting time, something kids are not good at. It is also important to control any spillage of yeast or it can grow (and smell!) on your kitchen surfaces; since cooking with kids always creates a lot of mess it is best to use a yeast free recipe. The final point to consider is that kids put things in their mouths and putting a spoon covered in dough containing raw yeast is not a good idea! Anyway I’m a bit fussy when it comes to yeast, I think it is over used and put in unnecessary products – you can even find it in crisps! Too much of anything is not good for you, but I stop here as my husband says this subject is boring!

Moving on, the other plus side to this homemade pizza is that by making it yourself pizza becomes the healthy option. So often shop bought or delivered pizzas have too many calories, hidden salt and sugar, but when you make it yourself you know exactly what the ingredients are.

Here is my extremely easy recipe:

Serves 4 for dinner (with a salad)

Ingredients:

• 8 oz white self-rising flour (sifted)*
• 2 oz wholemeal flour (sifted)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 200ml warm water
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 250g passata
• 1 ball mozzarella (or 2 if you like cheese!)
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• toppings of your choice (egg, ham, olives, chorizo, spinach, peppers)
• greased large rectangular baking tray or two round tin bases (I use the bottom of my 10 inch springform victoria sponge tins)

Method:

1. In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder, water and oil until a smooth dough is formed.
2. Make dough into a ball and place on a clean floured surface; using a rolling pin roll dough into a rectangle.
3. Lift dough onto baking tray and stretch to fit the whole of the tray, push dough into corners to make a thicker crust.
4. Spread passata onto pizza base using the back of a spoon.
5. Add sliced mozzarella evenly over the pizza, add herbs and toppings**.
6. Cook in a pre-heated over at 180°c for 25 minutes.

*Add a pinch of salt to the dough mixture if you wish.

**If you wish to use eggs as a topping as I did they should not be placed onto the pizza until later. Cook the pizza until there is 5 minutes remaining and then crack the eggs onto the pizza to cook.