Cooking is the process by which food is made readily available to be eaten.
Food can be prepared using various cooking methods. They include boiling, steaming, frying, grilling, pressure cooking as well as baking.
For the purpose of today's food preparation in which we would prepare the pastry, Pizza we would make use of the cooking method, baking.
Today, I shall share with you how I prepare Pizza. Not just the random Pizza one could get in any confectionery shop, we shall look at how to prepare vegetable pizza.
For the course of this vegetable pizza preparation, we shall make use of white whole wheat flour. It would interest you to note that ever since I used the white whole wheat flour over other types of flour, it comes out very tasty.
Firstly, we shall prepare the pizza dough. For those who don't know what the pizza dough is, the pizza dough is the base on which the vegetables would be placed.
To make the pizza dough, we shall carry out the following steps.
1. Water should be placed on a source of heat until it is luke warm to feel. Being luke warm means that the water should not be hot or cold. The luke warm water should be poured into a bowl.
The bowl should be warmed up so that the temperature of the bowl does not lower the temperature of the luke warm water thereby making it cold.
To warm up the bowl, hot water should be poured into the bowl. The essence of having the bowl warm is so that it can support proofing of the yeast.
The essence of using luke warm water instead of hot water is that hot water can kill the yeast cells. When the yeast cells are dead, they can no longer cause the dough to rise anymore.
A photo illustrating step 1 can be seen below.
2. Yeast should be added to the lukewarm water. In the 1st step, the need to use lukewarm water instead of hot water was clearly stated.
A photo illustrating step 2 can be seen below.
3. Sugar should be sprinkled into the bowl containing the lukewarm water and the active dry yeast. The yeast is referred to as an active dry yeast because it has the properties to cause the dough to rise.
A photo illustrating step 3 can be seen below.
4. Using a wooden spatula, the mixture should be stirred gently. Thereafter, the mixture should be allowed to stand for a period of 10 minutes.
With time, the solution should be seen having bubbles at the top. It should appear bubbly and frothy. If bubbles do not appear at the top of the solution, it means that the yeast is not active. The mixture should be discarded and the process repeated from step one.
A photo illustrating step 4, in which the yeast is proofed, that is appearing bubbly can be seen below.
5. After the yeast has turned bubbly or frothy, the flour should be added. For the course of this lesson, we shall use white whole wheat flour.
A photo illustrating step 5 can be seen below.
6. Afterwards, olive oil as well as salt should be added to the mixture.
A photo illustrating step 6 can be seen below.
7. All needed to make a dough has been placed in the bowl. All we have to do is to mix thoroughly to form the dough.
If the dough is stiff, little water can be added at intervals. The dough has to be kneaded for thereabout 5 minutes to achieve a soft and elastic texture of the dough.
To be certain that the dough has been thoroughly and evenly kneaded, when the dough is pressed with a finger, the dough should rise back.
A photo illustrating the mixing of the dough can be seen below.
8. The dough should be made into a ball. Thereafter, a little quantity of olive oil can be rubbed all over the dough to prevent the dough from drying up when allowed to stand for some time.
A photo illustrating the moulding of the dough into a ball shape can be seen below.
9. The dough which has been molded into a ball shape should be covered with a moist cloth. The essence of covering the dough is to allow the yeast present in the mixture respire anaerobically, which in turn would give off carbon dioxide which causes the rising of the dough.
It is also worthwhile to note that the bowl containing the dough be placed in a warm place so as to support the rising of the dough.
The dough is to be left to stand for about two hours. At two hours, the dough ought to have completely doubled in size.
A photo showing the dough being covered with a moist cloth to rise can be seen below.
10. Prepare the pizza sauce. The ingredients used to prepare the pizza sauce are tomatoes, water, olive oil, sugar, garlic, salt and vinegar.
To prepare the pizza sauce, place tomatoes, water, and olive oil in a blender or food processor. The tomatoes, water and olive oil mixture should be blended until a smooth paste is achieved.
The tomato mixture should be transferred into a large pot. Sugar, garlic, salt, and vinegar should be stirred into the tomato mixture and allowed to boil.
The heat source should be reduced to low heat and the mixture should be allowed to cook for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally until the mixture is thickened.
Our pizza sauce is ready.
Photos showing the pizza sauce that has been prepared can be seen below.
Afterwards the vegetables should be washed with salt water to get rid of all eggs of parasites, after which they would be chopped into bits. When cheese is used, the cheese can also be grated as well.
11. When the dough has risen to about double its size, the oven should be preheated to 220 to 240 degrees centigrade for atleast 20 to 25 mins.
A photo showing the dough I prepared after it had doubled in one hour can be seen below.
12. The dough should be transferred on the work bench and pressed to do away with all the entraped air.
Afterwards, a small portion of the dough is cut out using a knife, and rolled into a ball.
Some corn flour should be sprinkled on the baking tray, which could be circular in shape or any other shape.
The dough which is in a ball shape is then flattened on the tray and a few drops of olive oil is afterwards added on the dough.
The dough is afterwards spread and stretched on the tray until it occupies a larger surface area of the tray.
An illustration to step 12 can be seen in the photo below.
13. The pizza sauce which has been prepared should be spread on the dough.
A photo illustrating step 13 can be seen below.
14. The grated cheese should be layered on the dough. The vegetables which have been cut into tiny bits should be placed on the dough as well. For the course of this practical, onion, green pepper, fresh tomatoes as well as Irish potatoes were used.
A photo illustrating step 14 can be seen below.
15. Bake it for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cheese turns golden.
16. The pizza is sliced into triangular bits and served.
What do you think about this home made pizza recipe I shared with you?
With this, I believe you can prepare that tasty, yummy pizza you've always dreamt of for your family.
Do you have any questions whatsoever?
Feel free to drop your questions as well as contributions in the comment section below.
Would you love to have a taste of this yummy meal if given the opportunity?
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