pizza cups

AUTHOR:
MAE

PIZZA CUPS:
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N.B.
You do not have to make them into cups this recipe can also be used to make normal pizzas too. I made them into cups this time just for a bit of fun for the children

For pizza cups you will need two cupcake tin trays containing 12 cups each.

INGREDIENTS:

DOUGH:

2 cups Plain flour
1 packet Instant yeast
1 and 1/2 tspn Sugar
1 and 1/2 tspn Salt
1/3 cup Oil
1/2 cup Luke warm water


PIZZA SAUCE:

1 Onion medium size chopped
2 Garlic cloves finely chopped/ 1 tblspn garlic paste
80-90g Tomato puree
2 Medium tomatoes chopped
3 tblspn Oil
1/2cup Water
Dried mix herbs to taste
Celery salt two pinchs
Salt to taste
Chilli/ black pepper to taste
Sugar - a pinch or two only if needed to cut the sharpness of tomatoes


TOPPINGS:

100g Grated cheddar cheese (give or take depending on how cheesy you like them- also the cheese can be substituted or used in conjunction with buffalo mozzarella, red leicester, monterey jack cheese etc depending on personal taste) 


METHOD:

-Mix together all the ingredients for the dough in a big high sided bowl.
-In the bowl knead the mix into a smooth dough ball. ( if it feels a bit too sticky add a sprinkle of flour to your hand and continue to knead)
-Once a nice smooth ball has been achieved, work the dough for a further 5 mins in the bowl. (for complete beginners, if you need an explantion of "how to knead" please look at my mixed grain bread reciepe)
-portion the dough-

*This step will differ depending on whether you are making normal pizzas or cup ones*

Pizza cups- portion into small 1 inch balls and place the balls into nonstick/pre-greased cupcake tin cups. Cover the cupcake tray with cling film.

Normal- portion into handfull sizes balls and put the portions on a floured tray leaving about 2 inches gap on all sides cover the tray with cling film

- Set aside into either an airing cupboard or any other warm place for proofing (if you do not have any such place to keep it, place it in a microwave oven that is off).
-leave it in for 1-2 hours the dough should at least double in size
-While the dough is proofing make your tomato sauce.
-To make the sauce, in a heavy bottom pot add the oil and onions and cook till transparent on a medium heat. (Stirring regularly so it doesn't burn).
-Next add the garlic and cook for further 2 mins.
-Next add tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes (stiring occasionally).
-Then add tomato puree and water
-Season with salt, chilli/pepper and celery salt.
-Cover and leave to simmer, on a low heat, for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. (if it seems to dry off too quickly then add a bit of extra water)
-Taste the sauce to check if it tastes too sharp for your liking, if so add the sugar
-Add the herbs
-Switch off the heat once the sauce has reached your desired consistency.(ideally like a thick paste like sauce, not too runny, but not a stiff paste)
-Set aside and leave to cool
-Next grate the cheese
-Once your dough is ready to use take it out of the airing cupboard/microwave etc
-Pre-heat your oven at 180 degrees celsius (gas mark 4)

For Pizza cups-
-Gently press and shape the dough into the edges of the cup shaping it like a cupcake case.
-Put just under a spoon of sauce into each dough cup
-Put about 1 and 1/2 tspns of cheese into each cup 
-Bake at 180 degrees celsius (gas mark 4) for about 15-20mins or until the cup comes out with ease and is a beautiful golden brown colour.

For Normal pizzas-
-Grease your baking tray (if you need foil on it, foil it and then grease it)
-Take one portioned out ball and place on a clean  and floured surface where you will be rolling out your dough.
-With your fingers gentle press down the ball into a flat disc shape.
-Next start to roll out your pizza dough with a floured rolling pin:

-(For the benefit of absolute beginners)-

-Take a couple of pinches of flour in your palm and rub it up and down the cylinder part of the rolling pin.
-Place the floured rolling pin in the centre of your dough so that the centre of the long cylinder part of it is in contact with the dough. If you have handles, holding both handles ( if not then holding the ends of the cylinder in the palm of your hand) pressing down gently roll the rolling pin forwards and backwards a couple of times- this will result in an oval shape with the long side being vertical.
-Next lift off the rolling pin and turn the dough 90 degrees to the right so that the long side of the oval is now horizontal. Then place the rolling pin back on the dough as before and roll as before; you should now have a more rounded shape.
repeat the above two steps rotating around the dough and rolling several times until the dough is at the desired thickness, (about a cm for thick crust, and about 4-5mm for thin crust)- you may need to sprinkle a little more flour on the surface as you lift and rotate the dough if it is becoming a little sticky to work with.
-Place the rolled out dough on to your pre-greased baking tray.
-Place about two spoons of sauce in the centre of the rolled out pizza and using the back of the spoon spread out the sauce in a spiral motion going from the centre out to the edges, leaving about a cm of the outer part of the circle free from the sauce as the crust. 
- Sprinkle about two to three tablespoons of cheese(or as desired) evenly on the sauced part of the pizza 
-Repeat for all your other dough portions.( If you have a big baking tray that you can fit in more than one pizza place the doughs side by side allowing 3cm of expanding space around them).
-Place the baking tray in the oven to bake at 180 degrees celsius, (Gas mark 4) for around 15-20 minutes or until light golden at the bottom.

-LET COOL ENOUGH TO HANDLE, ENJOY!
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