Description
These mini top-your-own pizzas are a fun and interactive recipe perfect for a family meal or casual get-together. Made with a homemade white bread dough, simmered herb-infused tomato sauce, and a variety of customizable toppings like olives, peppers, salami, and mozzarella, these pizzas bake to a crispy perfection. The dough is tossed to create a thin center with a thicker crust, offering an authentic pizza experience made easy at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 300g strong white bread flour, plus extra for kneading
- 1 tbsp fast-action dried yeast
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for greasing the bowl
- 190ml warm water
- Pinch of salt
Tomato Sauce
- 150ml passata
- Small pack basil, leaves picked and finely chopped
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- Salt and pepper, to season
Toppings
- Black olives (quantity as preferred)
- Yellow peppers (quantity as preferred)
- Salami (quantity as preferred)
- Grated cheddar (quantity as preferred)
- 200g ball mozzarella, torn into small pieces
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, place the flour. Add salt to one side and yeast to the other. Sprinkle sugar over the yeast side. Add olive oil and warm water. Mix with a spoon until dough pulls away from bowl edges. Transfer to a floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a clean bowl, place dough inside, cover with cling film, and let rise for 1 hour.
- Prepare the sauce: While dough rises, pour passata into a saucepan. Add chopped basil and mixed herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over low heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Prepare toppings: Chop black olives, yellow peppers, salami, and grate cheddar if needed. Tear mozzarella into small pieces.
- Divide and roll dough: Once dough has risen, tip it out and knock out the air. Divide into 6 equal parts. Preheat oven to 240°C (220°C fan)/gas mark 9. Place two large baking sheets inside the oven to heat. On a floured surface, roll each dough piece into a 15cm diameter circle.
- Toss the base: Toss the dough circle about a meter up in the air, spinning it and catching it on the back of your hand three times to create a thin center and thicker outer crust. Alternatively, continue rolling if preferred.
- Second prove: Place two bases on one piece of baking parchment. Slide them inside a plastic bag ‘tent’ and let prove for 15 minutes.
- Assemble pizzas: After proving, spread cooled tomato sauce evenly over each base. Top with mozzarella and your choice of additional toppings like olives, peppers, salami, and cheddar.
- Bake: Remove hot baking sheets from oven. Using the baking parchment, slide 2-3 pizzas onto each sheet. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes until bases are golden and cheeses melted.
- Serve: Remove pizzas from oven. Slice and serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- For a crispier crust, place a pizza stone in the oven while preheating and bake pizzas directly on it.
- You can customize the toppings according to your preferences, including vegetarian or vegan options by swapping cheese.
- To save time, you can prepare the sauce ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- If tossing dough is challenging, rolling out thoroughly achieves a good base too.
- Ensure water used for dough is warm but not hot to activate yeast effectively without killing it.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: mini pizzas, homemade pizza dough, topping-your-own pizza, Italian, easy pizza recipe, baking pizza, family meal
