Happy Face Pizza Recipes

HAPPY FACE PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F.
• Pull string cheese into thin strips. Spread pizza crust with sauce; top with cheese.
• Arrange pepperoni slices on top of pizza to resemble a smiling face.
• Bake 10 to 14 min. or until cheese is melted.

MINI TOP-YOUR-OWN PIZZAS

Steps:

• Put the flour in a large bowl. Add a little salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other side. Sprinkle over the sugar, together with a spoon, and add the oil and 190ml warm water. Combine with a spoon until all the flour comes away from the sides of the bowl, then tip onto a floured surface. Knead for 5-10 mins or until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a clean bowl, add the dough, cover with cling film and leave to rise for 1 hr.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Pour the passata into a saucepan, add the basil and mixed herbs, then season and bring to the boil over a low heat. Simmer gently for 5 mins, then set aside to cool. Chop the toppings.
• Once the dough has risen, tip it out, knock out the air and divide into 6 equal parts. Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9 and place 2 large baking sheets in the oven.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle around 15cm in diameter. Pick up the circle of dough and toss about a metre up, spinning it in the air. Catch it on the back of your hand, so your fingers don't poke through the dough. Do this at least 3 times to achieve a thin central base and a thicker outside crust. Alternatively, you could carry on rolling, but it's not as much fun!
• Lay the bases onto baking parchment (2 bases on 1 piece of parchment) and carefully slide each pair inside a plastic bag 'tent' for 15 mins to prove again.
• After the second rise, spread the sauce over the bases and add the and mozzarella. Take the baking sheets out the oven and quickly slide the pizzas (still on their baking parchment) on top. You can cook 2-3 pizzas per tray. Return to the oven and bake for 12 mins. Take out, slice and eat.

TODDLER RECIPE: HOMEMADE PIZZA WITH VEGGIE FACES

Steps:

• To make the dough, put both flours into a large bowl, then stir in the yeast and salt. Make a well, pour in 400ml warm water and the olive oil and mix with a wooden spoon until you have a soft, fairly wet dough. Bring together with a light knead in the bowl then turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth. Cover with a tea towel and set aside. Leave the dough to rise if you have time but it's not essential for a thin crust.
• To make the sauce, blitz the tomatoes, garlic and thyme and a little seasoning, either in a food processor or using a hand blender.
• Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 8. Get the toppings ready in bowls so that your children can decorate their own.
• If the dough has had time to rise, give it a little knead in the bowl, then split into four balls. On a floured surface, roll out two of the balls into wide circles using a rolling pin. The dough needs to be very thin as it will rise in the oven. Lift these onto two floured baking sheets or pizza trays.
• Smooth sauce over bases with a spoon. Scatter with cheese, then start making the faces. Courgette rounds make great eyes or cheeks, halved courgette rounds can be used for ears and spiralised courgette for hair. Strips of pepper are good for eyebrows and mouths while olives and halved cherry tomatoes make great eyes or earrings. Sweetcorn can be used for teeth or freckles. Let their imagination go wild.
• Cook for around 10-15 mins until crisp. You'll want to swap the pizzas to a lower shelf halfway through the cooking time.
• Repeat for the second two pizzas or freeze the balls of dough in two separate freezer bags, plus any remaining sauce in a sealed container.

SMILEY FACE PIZZA

Steps:

• Combine rolls together and flatten into a 6-inch circle. Place on sprayed baking sheet. Poke several times with a fork to prevent bubbles from forming. Bake at 350°F 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Spread with sauce. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 350°F 8-10 minutes or until cheese is nicely melted. Remove from oven and make face using sliced mozzarella rounds with olives for eyes, pepperoni for nose and eyebrows and a green pepper slice for mouth.