JUST ANOTHER EXCUSE TO PARTY: PIZZA NIGHTS

There’s very little in my world that a foot massage and a thin-crust, everything-on-it pizza won’t set right. 

 - G.A. McKevett

 

I don't like pizza. It reminds me of days spent in boxy conference rooms discussing shareholders' agreements or nights when there's absolutely no other option but to order in. When I moved to Delhi I was shocked to realize so many people close to me, including my brother and father, love that ridiculous flat bread with cheese on top. Since they do I started experimenting with pizzas at home and found that if you're not making the crust yourself this is possibly the EASIEST food to put together at home. Also the easiest to jazz up.  

What you'll need:

Pizza bases (whole wheat if you want to make the healthier choice)

Sauces

1. Pesto (I used store bought) -  you can try the Basil Pesto by Wingreen:

2. Tomato -

2 tomatoes (chopped)
1 pack tomato puree
2 -3 tbsp garlic (as much as you like)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 -3 tbsp Oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings

Be as creative as you like but here are a few options for inspiration -

Mushrooms/ Potatoes/ Capsicum/ Pineapple/ Spinach
Bocconcini/ Cheese (any kind that suits your fancy)
Pepperoni/ Bacon/ Sausage
Basil/ Parsley/ Oregano
Eggs

If you feel like, put together different themes like Thai, French, Indian by using different ingredients.

How to:

1. For the tomato sauce, sauté the garlic in the olive oil till it browns. Add the tomato chunks and tomato puree and stir for 2 -3 minutes. Add the seasonings. Taste and adjust to suit your taste.

 2. Spread the pesto/ tomato sauce on the pizza bases, anoint with toppings of your choice. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

3. If you're making multiple pizzas prep 3 - 4 at one go and pop them into the oven one after the other so you have one coming out every 20 minutes. Don't bake them all at one go in advance because the pizza will get soggy if you don't serve it immediately.

4. If using an egg, make a little wreath with the other toppings to keep the white in and then break the egg in the circle.

5.  Don't be shy with the cheese! The more you use the better it will be!

6. Don't sprinkle dry herbs on top of the pizza, if you're using dried oregano or parsley then mix it in the ingredients. Dry herbs will burn in the oven. If you're planning to make more than a couple of pizzas or are calling company over then it'll be worth it to buy fresh basil and oregano.
 
7. If you're using fresh Parsley it isn't to be baked like the basil/ oregano leaves. Use it as a garnish once you have the pizza out of the oven.

8. While you can use any cheese you like, drier, harder cheeses tend to have very high melting points, that is, you might not end up with that "dripping cheese" experience you'd like if you're using them on your pizza. If you want that texture, mix a dry/ hard cheese with a softer one.