General Pizza tips & Quick Questions

Magentasue

I use my breadmaker. For two large pizzas to feed six I use:

600g or 4 cups flour (I use half strong white, half smartprice plain)
1 teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
glug olive oil (about tablespoon)
large cup water (about 380ml)

If making by hand, you could use the same quantities, making sure water is warm and knead like mad, then leave to rise. When double the size, knead again (not so long this time) and roll out or shape. I put the toppings on and then leave to rise but if I have time I leave them to rise a bit, half bake and then put toppings on and finish baking.

squeaky

Hi Sam

We have quite a lot of threads on pizza and you'll lots of answers, recipes, hints and tips among these threads :-

How do I make pizza?
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=93687

HM pasta sauces and pizza dough
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=79095

Hm pizzas
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=98756

Pizza question
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=78335

Quickest pizza ever!
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=57341

Lydia_2

Waitrose still do them I've seen them near the bread but I might give making my own a go only it sounds like hard work if you dont have a breadmaker.

Magentasue

The only hard work is the kneading, you can use a mixer if you have one that has dough hooks.

The other thing is the time for rising - you can't decide half an hour before that it's pizza tonight! Unless you use a scone base. But apart from that first kneading the dough needs little attention from you, just time to rise. I allow two hours but you could cut that to an hour if you've got somewhere warm to rise the dough.

jcr16

what fantastic ideas. my little girl since being poorly has gone off alot of food so i thought about making a pizza as she can put on what she wants and get involved.

i haven't tried it yet but how about bread pizza. toast a slice of bread and cut crusts off, then smooth a layer of tom sauce , or tom puree then add whatever u fancy and grill slightly until ready , depending on what toppings have been used. how fantastic would that be. a great little idea for kiddies meals. i read this somewhere in a mag

Alison_B

If the kids want pizza for lunch, we use muffins (or barm cakes), cut them in half and add pasta sauce and cheese plus any other toppings they want. Really quick and easy and the kids make them themselves.

N9eav

ADSA create you own pizza, is almost unbeatable. You can't get the ingredients for that.

Lucie_2

crumpet pizzas are quick & easy, as is using a french stick - split it open longways.

spankymonkey_2

we buy tesco pizza bases then use dolmio bolognese sauce and add whatever we fancy. like someone else said you can get the kids to make their own. also tesco do basic grated cheese which is very much like mozerella(stringy). we then use whats left of the sauce to put over pasta with fried bacon and mushrooms to have with the pizza... my kids love it!

Tim_L

Lidl mozzarella is about 50p per pack - I use 1 1/2 per pizza. Their black forest ham and whole salami is also extremely good value and very very delicious on Pizza. Sardine is a wonderful topping too - some of the fishiness of Anchovy but without the salt and dirt cheap.

Lidl's strong flour is also about the best flour I have *ever* used for dough - better than Tescos by a long way.

Breadmaker dough recipe - 300ml water, 1 lb 3 1/4 oz strong flour, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, one whole sachet of dry yeast, make 4-6 hours before the pizza needs to be made, enough dough for two 18" pizzas.