Pizza

Delicious Pizza Recipe with Soft Dough and Easy Ingredients

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 15-20 minutes
Total Time: 35-40 minutes
Servings: 4-6 servings

Who doesn’t love a slice of warm pizza with soft dough and delicious toppings? This pizza recipe is simple and quick, perfect for a family dinner or a gathering with friends. Plus, it’s a wonderful opportunity to use the ingredients you already have in the fridge.

The Story Behind the Recipe

Pizza has a fascinating history, evolving over the decades from simple vegetable pies to the sophisticated delights we know today. This recipe combines tradition with modernity, offering you a soft and flavorful pizza dough that can be customized with your favorite ingredients.

Ingredients

- 250 ml lukewarm milk (not hot, to avoid destroying the yeast)
- 1 cube of fresh yeast (25 g)
- 600-700 g flour (depending on the desired consistency of the dough)
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil or vegetable oil
- Sausages, salami, ham, or any deli meats you have in the fridge
- 1 can of corn (optional, but adds a sweet flavor)
- Ketchup (for the base sauce)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- Fresh or canned mushrooms, sliced
- Salt, pepper, and basil (or other preferred spices)
- Mozzarella or grated cheese (about 200 g)
- 1 bell pepper, diced

Step by Step

1. Preparing the Milk and Yeast
In a small saucepan, heat the milk until lukewarm. It’s important that the milk is warm, not hot, to activate the yeast without destroying it. Add the cube of yeast and let it dissolve for 5-10 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when a foam forms on the surface of the milk.

2. Mixing the Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, pour the milk and yeast mixture. Add a few tablespoons of flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Keep the rest of the flour for later. Add the oil and salt, continuing to mix.

3. Forming the Dough
Start gradually adding the remaining flour, mixing continuously. Keep adding flour until the dough no longer sticks to your fingers. This is a delicate process, and the amount of flour may vary depending on the humidity in the air and the type of flour used, so it’s good to add the flour gradually.

4. Kneading the Dough
Once you have a homogeneous dough, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes elastic and smooth. This step is essential for achieving a fluffy pizza dough.

5. Resting the Dough
Place the dough in a bowl greased with a little oil, cover it with a clean towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes, or until it doubles in size.

6. Preparing the Toppings
While the dough is rising, prepare the toppings. Chop the onion, mushrooms, and bell pepper. If you’re using deli meats, slice them into pieces or cubes as well.

7. Assembling the Pizza
Preheat the oven to 180°C. After the dough has risen, take a piece of it and spread it in a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Spread ketchup over the dough, then add a layer of deli meats, onion, mushrooms, corn, and bell pepper. Sprinkle grated mozzarella and season with salt, pepper, and basil to taste.

8. Baking the Pizza
Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake the pizza for 15-20 minutes, or until the dough turns golden and the cheese melts and bubbles.

9. Serving
Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes, then cut it into slices. You can serve it alongside a fresh salad for a balanced meal or with a yogurt dip for a refreshing contrast.

Practical Tips

- Topping Varieties: Don’t limit yourself to deli meats! You can add fresh vegetables, olives, pineapple, or even leftover roast for a unique twist.
- Leftover Dough: If you have leftover dough, you can wrap it well in plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge until the next day. You can use it for another pizza or for rolls.
- Recommended Drinks: Pizza pairs perfectly with a cold beer or a light white wine. Additionally, fresh lemonade can be a delicious and refreshing option.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much flour should I use?
The amount of flour can vary. It’s better to add gradually until you get a dough that doesn’t stick.

What can I use instead of fresh yeast?
You can use dry yeast. In this case, use about 7 g of dry yeast and mix it with the flour at the beginning.

Can I freeze the pizza?
Yes, you can prepare the pizza, bake it, and then freeze it. When you want to serve it, let it thaw and reheat it in the oven.

Nutritional Benefits

This pizza offers a good balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, depending on the chosen toppings. Whole wheat flour can add fiber, and the vegetables used as toppings enhance the intake of vitamins and minerals. Mozzarella is an excellent source of calcium, important for bone health.

In conclusion, this simple pizza recipe is not only easy to make but also offers you the opportunity to explore unique combinations of ingredients. Whether you’re preparing pizza for a special occasion or simply for a relaxed evening at home, don’t forget to enjoy the cooking process! Bon appétit!

 Ingredients: 1/2 milk, 1 cube of yeast, 600 g flour, salt, 2 tablespoons of oil, kabanos or (salami, ham, kaiser) whatever we have in the fridge, corn, ketchup, 1 onion, mushrooms, salt, pepper, basil, mozzarella, 1 bell pepper

 Tags:  pizza pizza dough