Pizza

Pizza, like many bread varieties originated in Italy. We prefer the thin crust pizzas. The first time I saw pizza baked in a brick oven was at the restaurant Forno Romano in Kista Galleria in Stockholm. The pizzas used to be slid into the oven on a long paddle and baked directly on the hot bricks. Recently, my friend, Priyanka baked a pizza. That gave me the push and enthusiasm to try baking one too. This is not an original pizza recipe. But it did do for us :)

For pizza base,
Wheat flour - 2 cups + additional for dusting
Salt - 1 tsp
Yeast - 1 tsp
Water - 1/4 cup + additional for kneading
Organic jaggery - 1/2 tsp

Olive oil - 2 tsp + additional for greasing pan and dough
Chicken breasts - 1, cubed into very small
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Red chili flakes

Onion - 2 small, sliced into rings
Beans - 1 cup, cut lengthwise and steamed
Paneer - 1 cup
Cheese - 1/4 cup, grated
Red cowpeas - 1/4 cup, cooked
Olives - 3 Tbsp
Pizza sauce - 8 Tbsp

In a bowl, mix yeast and jaggery in 1/4 cup lukewarm water. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Sieve flour and salt. Add risen yeast mixture to flour. After adding a little water, knead gently into a soft dough.

Coat dough with oil. Cover bowl with a wet kitchen towel and keep aside for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, the dough would have doubled in size. Deflate it gently. On a work surface, sprinkle some flour. Knead dough into a cylindrical shape. Cut dough into eight parts. Shape these into balls and cover with wet kitchen towel.

In a saucepan, add 1 tsp oil. Add chicken. Add salt, pepper. Saute well, till cooked. Add cooked beans. Add oregano and red chili flakes. Stir, 2 to 3 minutes. Keep aside.

Roll the balls into small round flat shapes. Poke dough with a fork in different places. Brush oil on dough, Spread 1 Tbsp of pizza sauce. Spread onion rings, some red cowpeas, olives, paneer, beans and chicken. Sprinkle oregano and red chili flakes. Top with grated cheese.

Brush pizza pan with oil. Place dough on it.

Preheat oven to 220 C. Bake for 5 minutes. Do the same for all pizzas.

Recipe courtesy : Cure.fit