Pizza Base and Garden Pizza
Make soft, chewy eggless pizza dough from scratch and top it with tomato sauce, vegetables and melted mozzarella in your home oven.
A good pizza starts with the base, and the base is simply flour, yeast, water and patience. This recipe makes soft, chewy, eggless dough that bakes up with a crisp bottom and airy crumb in a home oven. The garden pizza is topped with homemade pizza sauce, crunchy vegetables and plenty of mozzarella. It suits a weekend lunch, a family evening or a party where everyone builds their own. Knead well, let the dough rise properly, and bake hot; those three steps decide whether the result tastes like a pizzeria or a flatbread.
Method
- Mix yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup lukewarm water and rest for 10 minutes until frothy. Mix maida and salt, add the yeast liquid, oil and enough water to form a soft dough.
- Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled.
- For the sauce, heat oil and fry garlic for 20 seconds. Add tomato puree, sugar, oregano, chilli flakes and salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until thick. Cool.
- Preheat the oven to 230 C (or as high as it goes) for 20 minutes with a baking tray inside.
- Punch down the dough, divide in two, and roll or stretch each into a 9 inch round. Prick all over with a fork and place on greased parchment.
- Pre-bake the base for 4 minutes. Spread sauce, sprinkle half the cheese, add vegetables, then the remaining cheese and herbs.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned. Rest 2 minutes, slice and serve.
Chef's tips
- The dough should be soft and slightly sticky; too much flour makes a dry base.
- Pre-baking the base keeps the crust crisp under wet toppings.
- Do not overload with vegetables or the centre stays soggy.
- Preheat the oven fully; a hot start gives a crisp base.
Watch Purna make something similar
Thin Crust Pizza
What to serve it with
Serve hot, cut into slices, with chilli flakes, oregano and extra sauce on the side.
Storage
Baked pizza is best fresh, but leftover slices can be refrigerated for a day and reheated on a hot tawa covered with a lid. Pre-baked bases (without toppings) can be cooled and frozen.
Variations
- Make a paneer tikka pizza with spiced paneer cubes.
- Try a margherita with fresh basil and extra cheese.
- Cook on a tawa with a lid if you do not have an oven.
Recipe by Chef Purna Shah. More videos on YouTube and Instagram.
Recipe questions
Why is my pizza base hard?
The dough was under-kneaded, too dry, or baked too long at low heat. Knead until elastic, keep the dough soft and bake hot for a short time.
Can I make pizza dough without an oven?
Yes. Cook the base on a heavy tawa on low heat, add toppings, and cover with a lid until the cheese melts, about 8 to 10 minutes.
How do I know the yeast is active?
After 10 minutes in lukewarm water with sugar, it should foam and smell yeasty. If nothing happens, the yeast is old or the water was too hot.
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