HM Pizza Base Recipes Tips and Quick Questions

champys

Last week I tried pitta bread based pizzas for the first time - now that is really quick! I will definitely do that again when I am in a hurry. You need to very carefully open up the pittas and slice them in two to make 2 halves: 1 pitta per person makes 2 little pizzas per person. It seems to work well if you first put cheese on the cut side: I used a mix of grated Cheddar and Emmental, then a small slice of a French melty cheese. On top of that, some slices of fresh home-grown tomato. Sprinkle over some chopped green pepper, oregano and seasoning. Drizzle with olive oil, decorate with a black olive in the middle of each pizza. Bake in the top part of the oven for 15 mins or so. Sprinkle on some freshly grated Parmesan just before serving. Really good! The bases were light, thin and crispy. Next time I'll do them with sardines, or spinach & blue cheese. I always have some pittas in the freezer, so it will go on the list of emergency meals.

freakyogre

steerpike wrote: »

I buy 'Wrights' or Sainsburys sun-dried tomato and parmesan bread mix - approx 79p.

Weigh out half the pack and add half the water and mix according to instructions - takes approx 10 minutes, roll out thinly (it will r-i-s-e dramatically) and line a baking sheet - I find half a pack will cover a 15 inch square baking sheet easily - put your topping on and leave to rise for 40 minutes before baking.

Tasty, soft and totally foolproof for around 40p - try it - you'll be converted

I love that bread mix and the cheese and onion one, but never thought of using them for a pizza base! Does it not shrink a bit? I tend to find when i've made a bread mix up and try and roll it, it starts to shrink straight away. Also, does it rise a lot? Obviously I know being a bread mix it will a bit, but is it still like a pizza base?

steerpike

freakyogre wrote: »

Does it not shrink a bit?

No - it is ok perhaps because it has the the topping on - I think that the weight must help to stay in position

I tend to find when i've made a bread mix up and try and roll it, it starts to shrink straight away.

I haven't found this to be a problem - try to keep turning the piece of dough round and roll in different directions

Also, does it rise a lot? Obviously I know being a bread mix it will a bit, but is it still like a pizza base?

I roll it out quite thin and it rises x3 approx - more at the edges where there is no topping. It isn't thin and firm like stone baked but its not bready either...just a nice inbetween really.
I have used the cheese and onion for a change and it was really nice too.

Hope this is helpful

Belisarius

I make pizza dough in my bread machine, scaling down a Jamie Oliver recipe. I get superb results ... my housemates says it's the best pizza she's ever eaten, including pizza she's eaten in Italy If you had a bread machine, and it had a timer, you could set it to come on during the day, I guess. I use '00' flour, which is a tad moe expensive but really makes all the difference.

freakyogre

steerpike wrote: »

Hope this is helpful

It is, thanks! I'll give it a go.

Obi167

Best cheap and simple pizza base recipes... Go...

zippychick

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Obi167

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martafdz

I tried the scone pizza base that appeared in this thread but after 20-25 minutes the center was still uncooked. I put it again for another 10 minutes, with still no luck either. I do not know what went wrong or what to do next time! I tried to make bread two days ago and I also had the same problem

Oven was at 220C, I knead the dough for about 3-4 min, added cooking oil, herbs and garlic. The dough seemed ok, elastic yet firm, more on a sticky side than on a dry side, but without being sticky. I could hold it in my hands and no dough stayed on my fingers. I rolled it out, brushed it with oil and herbs, added cheese and I put it in the oven. 25 minutes later the cheese was almost brown but my pizza base was uncooked inside, white and dry in the outside and only slightly cooked right in the edges. It raised a bit (SRF) but it was too dense and thick, it wasn't fluffy or thin. And it smelled to undercooked dougH.

I had the same problem with the bread, I used a different kind of flour this time because I thought that was the problem. The bread was har in the outside and undercooked in the inside, not fluffy at all, just thick as a brick, I like them really soft and it was just the oposite

Could it be my oven? I have an electric combi oven with fan. I dislike it enourmously but it's a rented flat and I cannot change it. I just cannot get right any cake/sponge/bread/etc, it seems to me as if the external part cooks too quick and the internal part never cooks

What can I do? Any ideas?

twiggy100

Does anyone know of a recipe that makes pizza dough like the pizza's in Frankie & Bennies? ie wafer thin, almost like a pancake rather than bread. IMO they make the best pizza and garlic bread! It would be great to be able to do it at home.