5 Easy Pizza Toppings Recipes

5 EASY PIZZA TOPPINGS

Steps:

• To make your own base: Make up 300g bread mix following pack instructions. Don't rise or knead - just roll into a rough 30cm circle on a baking sheet. Or you can buy a ready-made pizza base from the supermarket. Top using suggestions below.
• To bake your pizza: Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 8, add one of the toppings suggested below then bake for 15-20 mins until crisp.
• Ham, mushroom & rocket with pesto: Spread your base with the pesto. Top with ham, mushrooms, tomatoes and some seasoning. Bake as above then top with a handful of rocket.
• Spicy pepperoni & pepper: Spread your base with passata. Top with pepperoni, chilli, green pepper and mozzarella. Season, bake as above. Sprinkle with parsley.
• Italian goat's cheese & veggie special: Put spinach into a colander, pour over a kettle of boiling water to wilt, then squeeze out any excess. Spread base with pesto. Top with the spinach, cheese, olives and tomatoes. Season, then bake as above.
• Crispy bacon, artichoke & ricotta: Spread your base with ricotta. Scatter over artichokes, olives and bacon. Season and bake as above.
• Beef, basil, tomato & mozzarella: Fry mince with onion and garlic in olive oil over a high heat for 5 mins until browned. Spread passata over your base. Top with mince mixture, tomatoes and mozzarella. Season and bake as per above. Sprinkle with some basil leaves and serve.

PIZZA TOPPINGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°C/530°F, or as high as it will go. Place oven shelf in top third of oven.
• Stretch dough to form pizza base and slide onto baking pan.
• Follow topping directions below, then place in oven.
• Turn pizza at 4 minutes so it cooks evenly, and check at 8 minutes (even if recipe says 10 minutes). Take out early if cheese gets too brown.

20 POPULAR PIZZA TOPPINGS

Steps:

• Follow the Best Pizza Dough or Thin Crust Dough recipe to prepare the dough. (This takes about 15 minutes to make and 45 minutes to rest.) Or use one of the alternate dough methods.*
• Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. OR preheat your pizza oven (here's the pizza oven we use).
• Peel and cut the garlic into a few rough pieces. Place the garlic, fire roasted tomatoes, olive oil, oregano and kosher salt in a blender. Blend until fully combined. (You'll use about 1/3 cup for the pizza; reserve the remaining sauce and refrigerate for up to 1 week.)
• When the oven is ready, dust a pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. (If you don't have a pizza peel, you can use a rimless baking sheet or the back of a rimmed baking sheet. But a pizza peel is well worth the investment!)
• If you're making Thin Crust Dough, place it on a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a circle, adding a pinch of flour if it is too sticky. Then roll out the dough into a circle about 11 inches in diameter, using just enough flour on each side to keep it from sticking. If the dough starts to resist rolling, wait for a minute or two, at which point it will roll out more easily.
• Spread a thin layer of the pizza sauce over the dough, using about 1/3 cup. Add the mozzarella cheese (and if using, goat cheese or other types of cheese). Top with a thin layer of fresh grated Parmesan cheese and a few pinches of kosher salt.
• Use the pizza peel to carefully transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake the pizza until the cheese and crust are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes in the oven (or 1 minute in a pizza oven).
• Allow the pizza to cool for a minute or two before adding the basil leaves on top (whole leaves, lightly torn, or thinly sliced). Slice into pieces and serve immediately.