Yummy food

Indian style Veggie Pizza

I was the one who hesitated a lot to have pizza as it has more CHEESE...... but now it has completely changed to a extent that when I was pregnant, there is no week that goes without having pizzaa!! 

Even Shiwaa's pet name is "cheese kutty" as he used to jump inside me whenever our car crosses a pizza shop!!!

Home made pizzas are always special!!! yummy !! Tasty!!

I have made my mind to make pizza at home with all herbs used in Indian kitchen , so the name "Indian style veggie pizza". Usually people add oregano and basil in the pizza sauce and I tried making the pizza sauce using mint and cilantro and it turned out well. I have never thought , making pizza is so much easy "Pizza from Scratch".

I am so lucky to have home made pizzas all time from my friends as I had one friend in each place like Mrs. Lina Patel aunty in Charlotte, Mrs. Paviya Lenin in Chicago and Mrs. Rashmi Vikas in Guadalajara who makes amazing veggie Pizza... Love You ladies!!

Lets start.....

The measurement I have used here gives 2 large thick crust pizza (serves 4 people). 

Ingredients for Pizza Base:

• All purpose flour/Maida flour - 3 cups (1 cup = 250 ml)
• Dry Yeast/ baking powder - 2 tsp
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• Warm water -1 cup
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Olive oil/ cooking oil -2 tsp
• little flour / rava (sooji) for sprinkling on the pizza tray

Method:

1. Add the sugar and yeast in the warm water (I kept 1 cup of water in microwave for 30 seconds) and set it aside for 15 mins till it becomes frothy. ( the sugar enhances the yeast activity).

2. Now add the dry ingredients like 1 cup of flour, oil, salt and add it to the yeast mixture and slowly add the remaining 2 cups of flour to it and knead it nicely.

3. Cover it with a plastic sheet/ cover and set aside for 2 hrs. You can see in the picture, the flour has risen and increased in quantity after 2 hrs and it becomes more soft.

4. Add little extra flour and knead it and divide it into two parts to make two pizza and roll to flatten it shown.

Frothy Yeast and flour to mix

After kneading, coat it with some oil and leave it for 2 hrs

After 2 hrs

Pizza base is ready!!!!!!

Ingredients for Pizza sauce:

• 2 tsp Oil
• 3 Garlic
• 1/4 of a big red onion
• 5 tomatoes ( blanched and then pureed in  mixer) or pureed tomatoes (readymade)
• 1 sp salt
• 1 sp black pepper ( powdered)
• few mint leaves - finely chopped
• few cilantro leaves - chopped

I prefer to use the store bought pureed tomatoes as it will not consume more time to get the sauce consistency.

Method:

1. Heat the oil in the pan and add the chopped garlic and once it turns brown add the chopped onion.

2. Once the onions turns golden brown add the tomato puree and add salt and black pepper.

3. Simmer it until you get the sauce like consistency. 

4. Switch off the stove and finally add the mint leaves and cilantro leaves.

PiZZaaa sauce is ready!!!

You can also refrigerate the leftover sauce and  use it while making pasta.

Now Lets make the PIZZZZAAA...

Toppings:

Onion, capsicum, Jalapeno, mushroom, olives, tomatoes(optional), pineapple.

You can add your favorite toppings along with mozzarella cheese shredded.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C.

2. Sprinkle some sooji and flour in the pizza pan / aluminium foil plate and keep the flattened pizza base over it.

3. Apply 2 sp. of oil over the pizza base and apply a layer of pizza sauce and add your favorite veggies and then add one layer of cheese.

4. Bake for 20 mins at 350F/ 180 C.

Leave this in oven for 20 mins

Wowwww!! Pizza is ready to eat!!! Try it and let me know your experience in comments!!

Oven temperature for your reference:

Description	American Standard	Metric	Gas mark
very cool	225 F	110 C	mark # 1/4
luke warm cool	250 F	130 C	mark # 1/2
cool	275 F	140 C	mark # 1
cool moderate	300 F	150 C	mark # 2
very moderate	325 F	170 C	mark # 3
moderate	350 F	180 C	mark # 4
moderately hot	375 F	190 C	mark # 5
fairly hot	400 F	200 C	mark # 6
hot	425 F	220 C	mark # 7
really hot	450 F	230 C	mark # 8
very hot	475 F	240 C	mark # 9