Pizza Dough and Sauce Recipe

Makes 2 pizzas (about 30cm diameter).

Pizza Dough
7g (1 sachet) dry yeast
2 teaspoons (8g) sugar
180ml (2/3 cup plus 3 teaspoons) lukewarm water
40ml (2 tablespoons) oil
350g (2 1/3 cups) strong flour (pizza/bread flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Stir yeast, sugar and 2 tablespoons (40ml) of the water together in a small bowl until combined. Set mixture aside in a warm place for about 20 minutes. Bubbles will form on the surface of the mixture. If bubbles do not form, this means that the yeast is not active and you will need to start again.

Add oil and remaining water to the bowl with the yeast mixture and stir together.

Stir flour and salt together in a large bowl until well combined. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture. Combine using a spoon then use your hands to bring the dough together.

Knead dough on a lightly floured bench for 5 minutes (dough should become smooth and elastic).

Place dough in a large oiled bowl and turn dough to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap then a clean tea towel. Put bowl in a warm place until dough has doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Make the pizza sauce (see directions below) while the dough is rising.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees Celsius (not fan-forced). Place an oven rack in the lowest position in the oven. If you have a fan-forced oven and are unable to turn the fan off, preheat your oven to 230 degrees Celsius.

Lightly brush two baking trays with oil.

Divide dough into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a round disc. Pushing from the centre of the disc, press the dough out to form a circle with a diameter of about 30cm. If the dough springs back, let it rest for a few seconds, then continue to shape the circle. The base should be an even thickness without holes.

Top with pizza sauce and toppings of your choice.

We cook the pizzas one at a time so both pizzas can spend their entire cooking time on the lowest oven shelf near the bottom element. This helps to produce crisp bases. If you are cooking the pizzas in a fan-forced oven, it shouldn't make any difference if you cook them both at the same time. Cook pizzas for about 12-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden and base is crisp.

Pizza Sauce
1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
1 tablespoon (20ml) oil
1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed
400g can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons (50g) tomato paste
1 teaspoon (4g) brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan, cook the onion in the oil over low heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until onion has softened but not browned.

Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute without browning.

Add the remaining ingredients, increase heat, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened to a paste-like consistency (about 40-50 minutes).

The sauce could be blended or pushed through a sieve at this stage if you prefer a smooth consistency.

If desired, the sauce can be made ahead and frozen. © www.exclusivelyfood.com.au