^{(Image: Straight from the oven)}

I’ve saved the best for the last post before Christmas and I’ve noticed it’s been a couple of weeks before posts.  After Christmas, it will be back to normal with three posts a week.  Christmas is always a hectic time and work and buying a house have caught up with me!

Moving on though, this is a pizza is not only great for something different after going all out on extravagant foods during Christmas, but you’ll also get a workout as well!  Near the end, I felt like I’d done a half hour at the gym.  So you’d burn off the calories of eating the pizza before making it.

Now I’m quite a traditionalist when it comes to Italian pizzas, so I kept my toppings fairly simple but you can definitely try putting any topping you’d like.  The base is just like the Italians make, not like you get down at Pizza Hut or any other cheap pizza chain.  Give it a go and let me know what you think!

A note to Vegans: Great news! The base is totally vegan!  Leave out the cheese in the one below or replace with your favourite vegan cheese!

And, before I forget:

To every reader of this site,

Thanks for reading firstly, but I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Drive safely!

Best Wishes,

Mel Bedggood
melbedggood.com

^{(Image: The workout!)}

^{(Image: Pizza like the best!)}

Makes:

• 1 pizza for 4 people (two slices each)

Ingredients:

Base

• 2 tbs yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• pinch of sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1.5 cups flour
• 4 tbs olive oil

Sauce

• 1 cup tomato passata or tomatoes (drained and mashed down)
• cracked pepper
• pinch brown sugar
• pinch salt

My topping

• 1 cup parmesan grated finely
• 1 cup mozzarella grated
• sliced mushrooms for top

Instructions:

1. Mix warm water, sugar and yeast together.  Stir it thoroughly and allow to sit for a minute.  Your mixture will start expanding if the yeast has been activated.
2. Mix the oil into the yeast mixture.
3. Create a well in the flour and stir the wet ingredients into it lightly.
4. Knead for five minutes until it’s becomes a little elastic-y.
5. Place in a ball and dust with flour.  To speed the process up, microwave on the lowest setting for four minutes.  If you’d like to do it traditionally, keep in a warm place and sit for an hour to allow to rise.
6. During this time, mix your sauce together and preheat the oven to 210 degrees Celsius or 410 Fahrenheit.
7. Dust again and knead the pizza dough adding flour if the dough is a little sticky.
8. Roll it to a circle and flatten it.  Hold the flattened circle in your hands and stretch the dough turning as you go.  Repeat until it’s a larger, flatter circle.
9. Dust your pan/tray your putting the pizza dough in and lay it in the centre of the tray.
10. Using your hands, press the dough to the edges of the tray.
11. Layer your sauce quite thinly (you may have leftover for a pasta dish later on!).
12. Top with your desired toppings.
13. Place in the oven until your crust is golden brown and serve hot!