Lizzie's Homemade Pizza Recipe

Are you all turkey-ed out? Can’t stuff another morsel in? Have a fridge full of wilting salad and leftover meats?

Pizza might not be traditional holiday fare, but if you’re anything like me, sometimes a complete 180º on the cuisine front sounds FANTASTIC after so many platefuls of ham and roast potatoes. Plus it’s a great way to use up leftovers!

The secret is in the dough. I tried making homemade pizza dough for YEARS, failing miserably each time, until I stumbled across a recipe on Mrs Catherine’s Making It Home Xanga site (now unavailable, unfortunately) for the lightest, fluffiest, failproof crust ever. I have never had a soggy crust since using this recipe. I puffy heart it so much it made it into my continually-evolving Family Cookbook (keep an eye out for that post in a few weeks!)

Lizzie’s Homemade Pizza (with props to Mrs Catherine!)
Dough makes 3 large/8 small/16 mini pizzas

Ingredients

2 tablespoons dry yeast
2 cups warm water
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
5-7 cups baker’s flour (if you have it: higher protein content) or plain/all purpose flour

Suggested toppings: tomato paste, pizza herbs (basil, oregano), shredded mozzarella, ham, pepperoni, semi-dried tomatoes, red and green capsicum (bell peppers), pineapple pieces, leftover cooked chicken or turkey, leftover cooked vegetables.

Method

Run a large mixing bowl under hot water to warm it. Add sugar and yeast to bowl and pour in warm water. Mix thoroughly and set aside for a few minutes until bubbles appear on the surface.

Add salt, oil and flour and mix to a firm dough. Knead on a lightly-floured benchtop for a few minutes. Roll into a ball shape.

Lightly grease the large bowl and return the dough ball. Cover and set aside in a warm place to rise (we’ve used the car and outside on the trampolene in the sun before! Whatever works!). Rising time can vary depending on the warmth of the spot you choose (as little as 25 mins in a warm car or as long as 60 mins just sitting on the benchtop). You want it doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (395ºF).

Punch the dough down and knead on a lightly floured benchtop for a further 5 minutes. Divide the dough into whatever portions are needed and roll out to desired thickness (the dough will rise a bit during cooking).

Place on an oven tray lined with non-stick baking paper and add whatever toppings you like. Bake 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Drool when you catch a whiff of it fresh out of the oven. Enjoy!

Personally, I could have leftover roast ham and turkey along with the usual repeat of Christmas day side dishes for a clear week after the celebrations end but even I have my limits eventually! Kids seem to really enjoy their very own individual pizza made with their own choice of toppings and the dough recipe translates well to foccacia as well - just roll out thicker and make depressions in the dough at regular intervals. Yummo!