Pizza Margherita

 Make this super delicious Pizza Margherita at home with a copycat Dominos recipe for Pizza Dough.

Sometime around when I was 16 – 17 years old, was when I probably had my first Pizza ever in my life. It used to an exotic and a premium food to look out for. When my parents relocated to Chennai – a place in the South of India, just after my 10th Std was when my exploration began. The peer group makes a lot of transformation in a person that one totally learns to adapt the new ways – Good and Bad.

Exploring new food in different cuisines has just begun. Each birthday party since then was hanging out either at the theatre or treat at one of the muti cuisine restaurants. There was so much beyond Nan with Paneer Butter Masala and Masala Dosa !!!

But kids of today begin their exploration from Pizza and Pasta straight away. In fact, understanding and enjoying the traditional food is kind of becoming a rare affair. Talk to them about the Italian joints and the available delicacies, it will be in their fingertips as to what toppings goes best and what dip to accompany. Sometimes I am stunned.
It was yesterday I asked my Lil missy, who just turned three – “What would you like for breakfast ?” She takes a little pause and replies – ” Amma, feed me anything you want me to have “. It took me a little while to understand and acknowledge to her.. All that I told her was ” I am going to feed you with Tickles and Kisses!! “. This is such an adorable age where they know a lot of things but do not as well.  As a mother, I prefer to give the kids at least 2 positive choices in their meals and other activities so they could decide between them. This gives them a sense of decision making, rather than thrusting my choices on them.

The kids love their pizza’s as much as anything and the moment they realised we are going to have it made from scratch, they were overjoyed.  They kept monitoring every stage, right from dough making to resting, doubling and baking them in a Pizza Stone. Missy just walked up to me saying – ” I want lots of Pineapples on my Pizza – Ok? ”

Mummy at their disposal made topping just as they would enjoy with some ketchup and a drink of their choice to pair.

Thoroughly enjoyed the simple flavours from home and the fact that there is no synthetics in the whole process adds more delight.

The Pizza dough has a slightly crispy pizza base, just like the Domino’s Pizza. This is achieved by using Semolina to roll, apart from adding in the dough. I have used a combination of two variety of cheese – Mozzarella and Havarti for Margherita. Very subtle yet full on flavours.

Here’s a simple recipe to the delicious Pizza Margherita.

RECIPE FOR PIZZA MARGHERITA FROM SCRATCH

For Pizza Dough

425g Self Raising Flour

75g Semolina

7g fast action dried yeast

6.25g of Salt

7.5g of Sugar

225ml+ 25 ml of Warm Water

25ml of Olive Oil

3-5 tbsp of Semolina for dusting and rolling

Other Ingredients for assembling

Mozzarella Cheese

Basil Leaves for garnishing

Oregano, Chilli Flakes and Ketchup for accompaniment

In a large bowl, mix flour,semolina, salt, sugar and yeast and make a deep well in the centre. Measure 225 ml of water out in a measuring jug and add half the portion of oil in them. Pour the Oil Water Mixture into the centre and mix to make a soft but not sticky dough. If you feel the water added is not enough, include the rest of 25ml of water. It depends on the situation. I did add as the dough was slightly dry and had accommodated everything together.

Apply the remaining oil onto your palms and Knead for 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured work surface.

Cover the pizza dough loosely with oiled clingfilm, making sure it is airtight. Leave in a warm but not hot place for 30–40 minutes. I normally warm the microwave for 1 minute on its own.Once turned off, place the covered pizza dough in the bowl in the microwave. After 40 minutes, they double in size. Pull them out of the Mixing bowl and punch the dough a couple of times and divide them into 4 small doughs.

Preheat the oven to 220 C and place the Pizza stone into the cold oven. Let them gradually heat and achieve the temperature, approximately 10 minutes.

While the preheating happens, Pizza making begins.Sprinkle some semolina onto the working surface. On the semolina surface, roll out the dough thin, into a large circle approximately 8 inches or the shape of your choice using a rolling pin. The dough would rise in the oven, so roll it as thin as possible. Run the fork all around the middle leave 1/2 inch around the edges. This process will remove any bubbles/ air out.

Pull out the Hot Pizza stone and carefully place them on a hot plate. Sprinkle some Semolina on the Stone and then place the Rolled Pizza dough on the Stone.

 Gently brush a layer of Olive Oil, smooth the pizza sauce and top it with half the portion of Mozzarella Cheese and half of Havarti Cheese. Bake them for 10 -15 minutes until the crust turns golden brown or the cheese has melted. Allow them cool for 2-3 minutes.  Garnish with Basil leaves and serve them hot with ketchup, oregano and chilli flakes.

Repeat the process and go wild with toppings if you like.  We enjoyed a course of Mixed Peppers, Pineapple, Onions and some crushed Tortilla Chips  and another with some Pineapples just as my missy requested.

Notes:

If you enjoy just Mozzarella Cheese, you may just use one kind of cheese, need not go on a combo. There are options to try 4 cheese Pizza.