Baking | Homemade veg pizza with homemade crust!

Hi folks! As promised in yesterday’s post here I am writing about the best homemade pizza (including crust)…

Now, as I said yesterday – pizza is liked by children and adults alike; I mean who doesn’t like pizza? Homemade pizza loaded with veggies is the best way to have one!

I made this pizza dough from Sally’s baking addiction and I can’t thank Sally enough for this perfect pizza crust recipe. I followed her instructions to the t. The only difference is that I used locally available brand of yeast. What’s best about this pizza dough recipe is that it really froze well and it still baked up nicely. I think I should have baked it for some more time to get golden brown edges but nonetheless the pizza turned out to be tasty with great texture – chewy, soft, perfectly cooked!

I made the dough almost a month back and have baked the pizza twice -one around 20 days back and now this one a couple of days back. I used different toppings both the times; you can customize the toppings as per your liking.

I baked my pizza using ready made pizza sauce but if you can use the homemade one, I am sure the pizza will be to die for!

Here is what you need~

1. One part of pizza dough from here.
2. Pizza sauce – homemade or store bought; approx. 2 tablespoons
3. Red, yellow and green bell peppers – chopped in squares; 1/2 cup
4. Broccoli – cut into small florets; 1/4 cup
5. Onion – 1 medium; chopped in squares about the same size as peppers
6. Zuccini – 5 to 6 thin slices
7. Mozzarella cheese – grated, 1/2 cup
8. Olive oil – to grease the baking dish
9. Corn meal – to dust the baking dish

Here are the step-wise instructions~

1. Preheat oven to 250º C for at least 15 minutes. Grease baking dish with little olive oil and dust with corn meal. Set aside.
2. Take the dough (thawed if using frozen) on a lightly floured surface and knead very gently for only less than a minute. Flatten into a disk and start rolling the dough by pressing with your fingers with one hand and rotating with the other hand. Roll to the diameter of your baking dish.
3. Now, using a rolling pin transfer the rolled dough gently into the prepared baking dish. Poke the dough either with your fingers or with a fork so that pizza does not bubble up while baking. Create around 1/2 inch outer edge using your fingers.
4. Now spread the pizza sauce on the inside circle leaving the edges.
5. Add your favorite toppings, spread grated cheese on top.
6. Bake in the preheated oven at 250º C for 15-18 minutes.
7. Slice and serve the hot pizza!

Unfortunately I did not have time to take enough pictures. This one is from my husband’s cellphone..But I will be making the pizza again, and I will post more pictures 🙂

This recipe makes 8 medium slices of pizza.

~Happy cooking

Prajakta

 

Cooking | Minestrone Soup

Hello everyone, I know I have been quite inactive hear…blame it on all the Diwali festivities and then Bangalore weather 😦

We had all the fun during our Diwali celebrations, except that Bangalore weather has been really gloomy! We haven’t seen the Sun for almost a week now; and its raining every now and then!

To get over this weather and mood, I made this colourful and comforting Minestrone soup for dinner. This was the perfect meal for a rainy and cold night.

Minestrone soup is a classic Italian soup made of onions, celery, beans, carrots and pasta. Potatoes and green peas are also added in some versions. There is no set list of ingredients for this soup as the idea is to use the veggies and beans that are available. I have used red kidney beans, black eyed beans, potatoes, onions, coriander, green peas, zuccini, cabbage and tomatoes.

As with veggies, it seems that there is no set rule for using a particular spice. I have seen recipes using rosemary, basil or Italian mixed herbs. However, I have used rosemary and basil to flavor my soup.

I used elbow macaroni as its small in size and cooks faster, but really, you can use any type of pasta…

This recipe makes 4 generous servings.

Here is the list of ingredients used~

1. Tomatoes – 2 ripe, blanched, skin and seeds removed and cut into small cubes* or canned*
2. Onion – 1 big, finely chopped
3. Red kidney beans (rajma) – 1/4 cup, soaked in enough water for 6-8 hours and pressure-cooked
4. Black eyed beans (chowli, lobia) – 1/4 cup, soaked in enough water for 6-8 hours and pressure-cooked
5. Zuccini – 1/2 of medium sized zuccini, cut into small cubes
6. Potatoes – 1 medium sized, cut into small cubes
7. Green peas – 1/4 cup, fresh or frozen
8. Stalk of coriander – finely chopped, as per taste
9. Dried rosemary, dried basil, red chili flakes – 1 teaspoon each or as per taste
10. Black pepper – freshly ground, to taste
11. Salt – to taste
12. Water/Vegetable stock* – 3 cups
13. Garlic – 3 to 4 bulbs, finely chopped
14. Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
15. Cabbage – 1/4 cup, very finely chopped
16. Elbow macaroni – 1/3 cup
17. Tomato ketchup – 1 to 2 tablespoons
18. Cheese – grated, for serving
19. Coriander, parsley or mint leaves for garnishing (optional)

Here is how to make Minestrone soup

1. Heat olive oil in a deep pot, and add chopped garlic. Suate till all the raw smell goes away and garlic turns slightly pink.
2. Add chopped onions, freshly ground black pepper, red chili flakes, coriander stalk, rosemary, basil and little salt. Saute till onions turn translucent. Add tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes – if using canned tomatoes use tomatoes and the liquid; if using blanced tomatoes add the extra water in which tomatoes were blanched.
3. Now, add potatoes, zuccini, and cabbage. Add pasta (elbow macaroni). Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 and 1/2 cups of water or vegetable stock and bring to boil.
4. Add cooked beans along with the water they are cooked in. Also add the tomato ketchup and taste the soup. Add more ketchup if required. Remember, this soup is not very tangy so use ketchup accordingly.
5. Boil the soup for 30 minutes on low to medium heat. Add salt to taste and boil further do your desired consistency. If the soup looks very thick after 30 minutes of boiling add remaining 1/2 cup water or veg stock and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
6. Serve with grated cheese. Preferably parmesan cheese is used, but I used whatever was on hand. Enjoy just as is or with some garlic bread!

To compensate for my absence I will be posting another recipe soon, of something which is liked by kids and adults alike. So, keep watching this space 😉

~ Happy cooking,

Prajakta