Cheese Overload Pepperoni Pizza

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For Pizza Crust

2 1/2 cups All purpose flour/ bread flour

1 cup lukewarm water

3/4 tablespoon Active dry yeast

1 tablespoon Olive oil

3/4 teaspoon Salt

A pinch of Sugar

For Pizza Sauce*

400–500 ml Tomato puree (2- 2 1/2 boxes of Dabur Homemade Tomato Puree)

2 1/2 teaspoons dried & crushed Oregano

2 1/2 teaspoons dried & crushed Basil

1 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoon Onion powder

3/4 teaspoon Black pepper powder

1 teaspoon Sugar

1 teaspoon Salt

*Alternatively, you can use any readymade Pizza sauce like the Veeba — Pasta & Pizza Sauce.

For Toppings*

1 packet of Pepperoni (or any salami of your choice)

1 Onion

1 Capsicum

1/2 cup Corn

1 1/2 cup (or more) grated Mozzarella cheese

*You can add any pizza toppings of your choice.

Instructions:

For Pizza Crust

1. In a large mixing bowl add lukewarm water, active dry yeast and sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes before stirring to combine.
2. Add in the olive oil, flour and salt. Mix everything together with a spatula until the dough starts coming together.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured kitchen countertop and knead by hand until it is smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour slowly to the mixture and continue kneading.
4. Place this dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with cling wrap. Cover the bowl with any clean cloth and let it sit on your kitchen countertop for 1–2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Press down the dough a few times and divide into 2 balls. Let them sit for 20 more minutes.
6. Grease a 10" pizza pan and press down to flatten one dough ball to get an even pizza base.

For Pizza Sauce

1. Combine all the ingredients for the pizza sauce in a round bottom pan and gradually heat this mixture until it thickens. Adjust the seasonings as per your taste.
2. Once done, turn off the gas and allow the mixture to cool.

Now let’s get the pizza together..

1. Using a spoon, add the pizza sauce onto the flattened base avoiding the edges (leave around 1/4 inch off the edge).
2. Top it with pepperoni, onion, capsicum and corn.
3. Preheat the oven to 230°C and bake until the crust is golden (approximately 12–18 minutes).
4. Carefully remove the pizza from the oven and top it with grated mozzarella cheese.
5. Place back in the oven and bake for about 2- 3 mins until the cheese melts.

Note: Dough can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for use up to 24 hours.