Quick and easy pizzas
With a few shortcuts you can make a delicious pizza from scratch in no time at all – dough, tomato sauce and all!
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 x 400g tin plum tomatoes
- 400g/14oz self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
- 80g/2¾oz mozzarella
- 4 chipolata sausages (optional)
- 4 handfuls of your favourite vegetables, such as peppers, cherry tomatoes, sweetcorn, broccoli, onion, black olives
- salt and black pepper
Method
Peel and finely slice or grate the garlic, then place in a pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and fry until golden.
Scrunch in the tomatoes using your hands to break them up (or tip in and break up with a spoon as you go). Simmer for 5 minutes, or until thickened slightly, then season to taste with salt and black pepper. Remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7 and rub the inside of a 25x35cm/10x14in baking tray with olive oil.
Put the flour and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl and make a well in the middle.
Pour 250ml/9fl oz water into the well, then use a fork to stir and bring in the flour from the outside to form a dough – when the dough comes together and becomes too hard to mix with your fork, dust your hands with flour and begin to pat it into a ball.
Knead on a flour-dusted surface for a few minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
Divide the dough into 4, then roll and stretch the pieces into 20cm/8in rounds or ovals.
Spread each base generously with the tomato sauce and tear over the mozzarella.
Squeeze the sausagemeat out of the skins and tear over the pizzas (if using). Prepare your chosen vegetable toppings (cut into bite-sized pieces) and scatter over the pizzas.
Drizzle lightly with olive oil, then cook on the top shelf of the oven for 10 minutes, or until golden and puffed up. Delicious served with a crunchy green salad.
Recipe Tips
If making with children, always supervise small children when using the oven, hob and sharp knives.
Tips for older children
Remember to wash your hands before you start cooking and after handling raw meat.
When opening tins of food, be careful as the edges of the lid and top of the tin will be sharp. Ask an adult to help if you aren't confident.
You will need to use a sharp knife to cut the vegetables: if you're not confident using kitchen knives ask an adult to help as knives can be dangerous. It is helpful if the adult chops the vegetables alongside you so you can see how it is done.
Consider asking an adult to help when using the hob and oven. Make sure you use thick oven gloves to avoid burning yourself when working with hot ovens. Remember that the shelves will be incredibly hot as well as the baking tray, so keep your arms well away.
If you decide to grate the garlic, use a fine grater. Hold the grater steady with one hand and use your other hand to hold the garlic – keeping your fingers well away from the blades (so you don't grate your knuckles).
