Pizza

I love pizza. I love that you can put anything on it and it wll always taste amazing, and so this is really just the basic recipe for the dough, and you can put anything on it. I generally use tomato paste with heaps of chilli and basil for the sauce, and then any topping that we have lying around.

This makes two thick bases, or three medium bases. 

1 tspn yeast

2 tspn sugar

1/4 cup warm water

Mix these in a bowl, cover with a clean tea towell and leave in a warm, draft-free place for about 10 minutes. The yeast should froth the top of the water - if it doesn't you'll need to discard and start again.

For the dough, put 4 cups plain flour in a bowl with 1 tspn salt, then add the yeast mixture and about 2 tbspn extra virgin olive oil.

Mix it all in to a good consistency, and then use floured hands to turn it out onto a lightly flour, clean surface and knead for at least 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. You may need to add a touch more water or flour as you go.

When the dough is the right consistency, place it into a lightly oiled large bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Leave it in a draft-free place for about an hour or until it's about doubled in size.

Punch down the dough in the bowl, then turn it back onto a floured surface and knead again for a few minutes.

Divide it into two or three portions and then use a rolling pin to shape it into the shape of your baking trays. If you're using pizza stones, you'll need to warm these up in the oven first. Otherwise, just a good tray, with a little oil on it to stop it sticking.

These will need to be in the oven for about 15 minutes at 180C once you've put all your toppings on. Just keep an eye on it, as times will vary for different ovens.