When you are at a loss at what to make for a meal, pizza or pasta is a good fall back. Just make sure you have cheese, tomato sauce, tomato paste or pasta sauce in your fridge.
It is such a simple item to make and yet can cost so much when eating at a restaurant. At home, you don’t have to pay rentals for the restaurant. No wages for staff. No service charge. No GST.
What type of crust do you like? What toppings? That, is entirely up to you and what you have in your fridge. I give you my recipe for the pizza base and the toppings that we prefer at home.
Pizza - Thin Crust
PIZZA BASE – 
2 cups plain flour(for a healthier version, I used 1-1/2 cups plain flour, 1/2 cups chakki attar or whole wheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon each dried basil and parsley
3/4 cups of warm water
PIZZA TOPPING
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Grated parmesan cheese
Tomato sauce (about 3-4 tablespoon)
Tomato paste (about 2 teaspoon)
Tomato (diced, seeds removed)
Salami (few slices, cut to smaller pieces)
Spring onions (sliced)
METHOD:
1) Mix the dry ingredients together, then add water & olive oil.
If mixture is still too dry, add more water slowly.
2) Knead till it is smooth.
If the dough is still sticky, I add some olive oil instead of flour.
3) Roll to fit a 12″/30cm pizza pan.
4) Spray some oil on the pizza pan, dust some flour on it.
5) Transfer rolled out pizza base to pan. Use your fingers to lightly stretch the dough to fit the pan.
6) Spread a mix of tomato sauce & tomato paste onto the base.
7) Top with shredded mozzarella cheese on base. Add ingredients of choice.
8) Sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese on top.
9) Bake in preheated oven. Temperature 200°C/400°F.
Bake for 10-12 minutes on middle rack.
*Iberico Ham on top of fresh mozzarella and diced tomatoes as a topping.
Slice fresh mozzarella balls into slices, depending on choice of thickness.
Tear Iberico Ham slices into large pieces. Place on top of mozzarella slices.
Dice tomato – remove seeds, top onto pizza.
Bake at same temperature as indicated above.
*Suggestions: Alternatives
Pizza sauce base –
a) Use any pasta sauce that you have on hand in place of the tomato sauce/tomato paste combination.
b) Pesto with shredded chicken (cooked) as a topping
c) Rendang, curry or other premix paste in place of sauce.
Toppings –
a) cooked steak slices
b) vege lover – sliced sweet onions, mushroom slices, sliced capsicum (bell peppers)
c) feta cheese, olives, red onion slices
Cheese –
a) mix mozzarella with cheddar
b) premixed taco cheeses
c) brie with mozzarella
d) feta with mozzarella
Note: mozzarella cheese is a mild cheese, therefore, it makes a good combination with stronger cheeses.
Simply Living 
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