Pizza

 I used to bake before, but there was always some reservation and I would refer to couple of videos before baking anything, even for the ones I had baked before. All the videos I referred always stressed on getting everything right to get the results right, making me more anxious. 

But then cooking goddess Ashwini entered my life 😄 She has practically tried cooking every cuisine in her kitchen, and knows all the dos and don’ts. And more importantly she has the knack to explain things in simplest of the simplest way possible. 

When I told her that I plan to make pizza sometime and I need to prepare myself for that, she was like “adrallenide.. heege maaDu.. haage maaDu.. ashte!”(what’s the big deal, do this, do that, done!)

And that’s exactly what I did. Result was perfect! And now I don't fear baking! Thank you Ashwini! I really wish you start making cooking videos :) 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Ingredients(enough for 3 medium size pizzas)

Maida/ All purpose flour  - 2 cups 

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Instant yeast - 1 and 1/2 tsp

Sugar - 2 tsp

Salt - little 

Lukewarm water - as needed

Sauce - 

I used Marinara sauce

 

Toppings(your choice) - 

Onion

Green bell pepper

Pineapple

Olives 

Cheese - organic mixed cheese bag from Costco

Italian seasoning 

Salt and pepper

Method

In a mixing bowl mix Maida + wheat flour + sugar + yeast + salt and mix well. Add lukewarm water little by little and make a dough which is little loose than chapathi dough. Smear the container(bowl) with oil, cover it with cling wrap/lid and let the dough rest for 1 hr. At this point the dough would have risen considerably. Punch it couple of times and then fold it couple of times till you get a smooth dough. 

Divide into 3 parts(for 3 medium pizzas). Take a baking tray, line it with foil. Grease it. 

Flatten the dough to pizza shape and leave it aside covered for 20 min. 

Meanwhile get the toppings ready. 

Preheat the oven at 450 F. Keep the oven wrack in the middle.

Take the flattened dough, poke it with a fork throughout the base, leaving the edge. Fix the shape if there's a need. Add a layer of marinara sauce, then cheese, and then toppings. Sprinkle salt + pepper + seasoning. Sprinkle cheese on top for binding. 

Bake at 450 F for 10+ minutes. Wait for few minutes before cutting into slices. 

Enjoy! 

Recipe Source - Ashwini B K

Notes - 

• If using active dry yeast, prep it by mixing it with warm milk and sugar for 5-10 mins(it should become frothy), before adding it to flour mix.