Homemade Pizza

A lot of people think I don't need to go through all tis trouble to make a pizza when I can order one easily in under 30 minutes! But all I have to say to them is that making a pizza at home is no trouble at all! In fact it is quite an enjoyable experience and is fantastic for a family get together!
A good homemade pizza needs only three things! Pizza base, tomato sauce and different types of toppings!
I like to make as many toppings as I can and then I let each person in my family decide what they want and create their own personalized pizza!
I make the sauce in advance and store it in a sterilized glass jar. I always have a bottle of pizza sauce in the fridge! Sometimes, I like to cheat and use this pizza sauce to make pasta! But let's leave that for another post! :-)
The pizza base in question is also homemade and is the most fun to make. It requires a little bit of effort but the results are amazing!
Here is my fool proof recipe for the best homemade pizza!

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 12-15 minutes
Serves:4-6

Ingredients
For the Pizza Base
3 Cups Self Raising Flour
3 Tbsp Fresh Yeast or 11/2 Tbs Dry Yeast
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Salt
Warm Water
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
For the Sauce
3 Tbsp Oil
6-8 Cloves Garlic
3 Onions finely chopped
8-10 Tomatoes finely chopped
Salt, Sugar and Red Chilly Powder to taste
1/2 Cup Tomato Ketchup
1 Tbsp Dried Oregano or Ajwain

For the Topping
Mushrooms
Capsicum
Grilled Chicken
Onions
Cottage Cheese or Paneer
Baby Corn
Salami
Sausages
Mozzarella Cheese

Method
Activate the yeast by dissolving it in warm water and sugar.

Mix flour and salt together and add the yeast mixture.
Add more water if required and knead till you get a soft smooth ball of dough. See Knead to Bake! for how to knead dough for breads.
Cover with cling and let the dough rise for 2 hours.
For the sauce, heat oil in a pan and add garlic. Add onions and cook till they soften.
Now add tomatoes and cook thoroughly.
Add ketchup, salt, sugar, red chilly powder and oregano.
Cool and store in a jar in the fridge.
Assembling the pizza
Punch down the risen dough and divide into balls.

Roll the dough balls into flat circular pizza base.

You can use a rolling pin

Or just flatten the dough with your fingers.

Now spread the sauce followed by the grated cheese.

Put toppings of your choice and add salt and pepper to taste.

Bake in a very oven for 10-12 minutes till the dough is slightly risen and cooked and the cheese is melted.

Serve hot with some soup or cola!'

Enjoy!