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Food/Recipes

How can I make a pizza as nice as Pizza Express?

32 replies

tracyk · 16/01/2006 08:49

How can I make a nice base that won't be the texture of biscuit!
How hot do I need to have the oven to get it done nicely?

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Furball · 16/01/2006 08:51

I cheat and buy the bases from Sainsburys and the tomato topping!!

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tracyk · 16/01/2006 08:55

Are they as nice as PE? I had a Tesco base last night and the crust was as dry and crunchy like a biscuit.

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ghosty · 16/01/2006 08:58

The best way is to make your own dough and cook them in the oven on a pizza stone ...
I haven't done it but my friend does ... she uses the Jamie Oliver bread/pizza dough recipe ...
Seems a bit of a faff to me but when she has made them for us they are lovely ...
HTH ...

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tracyk · 16/01/2006 09:00

Well - it was the Jamie Oliver recipe I was going to use - but he has yeast in it - but if I want thin base - will yeast not make it rise??

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Furball · 16/01/2006 09:00

Well now you mention it they are abit like that, but that is how I like them.

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ghosty · 16/01/2006 09:03

Give it a go and see ... I think that it depends on how thick roll it out ...

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tracyk · 16/01/2006 09:31

Thanks - will try my hand at it this week.

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sickandtired · 16/01/2006 14:26

can you put his recipe on so I can give it a bash?? ta

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Piffle · 16/01/2006 14:27

I'm not a pizza fan but PE ones are really the bees knees...

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cupcakes · 16/01/2006 14:31

my pizza express pizza in the freezer lists yeast as one of the ingredients. I couldn't imagine a dough without yeast - it would be too heavy whilst you want it light. Just roll it very thin.

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Miaou · 16/01/2006 14:42

The secret to a thin but not crispy base is to roll it out thinly and cook it on a pizza tray (the round ones with holes in). If you roll it out pretty thin then it won't be all stodgy. I tend to make up a batch of dough and leave it to rise a bit in the Kenwood bowl, then knock it back and roll out the bases. The base is then light and fluffy because you have let it rise a bit.

Also I don't pre-cook the bases, just roll out and put your toppings on. The base won't rise much. One 2lb mix of dough will make about 4 12" bases.

Tomato base (for anyone not using Jamie Oliver) - I use a can of tinned tomatoes, about half a tube of tomato puree, a small onion, a scattering of herbs (I tend to put basil and oregano in, or you can buy pizza herbs), some black pepper, and a clove of garlic. Give it a whizz in the blender and hey presto. It will keep in the fridge for a few days too and you can use any left over with pasta for another meal.

I cook them in the oven, as hot as it will go, for about 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling on the top.

Hope this helps!

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MaryP0p1 · 16/01/2006 14:48

We use those things you buy will chilli con carne and passata and then grated cheese and what you fancy on top. The kids can do it and you get to clean up instead of cooking.

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sickandtired · 16/01/2006 14:51

anyone with a decent pizza dough recipe?

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Miaou · 16/01/2006 14:59

I just use a normal bread dough recipe. Hold on and I'll find it for you.

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Miaou · 16/01/2006 15:02

c&p from a previous post:

1lb 8 oz white bread flour
15 fl oz water (1 part boiling, 2 parts cold)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 sachet dried easybake yeast (allinsons)
2 tablespoons olive oil

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Miaou · 16/01/2006 15:03

The whole recipe/method (for making bread) I posted on here

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munz · 16/01/2006 15:06

I cheap with the base and get the napolian ones 4 mini ones for 88p in tesco - they're lovely. not quite PE but DH recons better than the chicago town/goodfellas pizzas.

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Sai · 16/01/2006 22:28

Check out the threads pizza bases (14th Nov) and pizza base sauce (20 Nov).
I use the pizza base recipe from that and its excellent.

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Pruni · 16/01/2006 22:31

Message withdrawn

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tracyk · 17/01/2006 09:17

Thanks girls - Jamie Oliver suggests using part flour, part semolina flour for authenticity. May try that too.

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cod · 17/01/2006 09:17

Message withdrawn

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noddyholder · 17/01/2006 09:17

you can't!

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vickiyumyum · 17/01/2006 09:33

buy the pizze express pizzas and dough balls from sainsburys!!!!

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tracyk · 17/01/2006 10:56

I do sometimes - when they are reduced - but we could eat them everynight - and at £5 odd they are bit £££.

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bloss · 17/01/2006 11:19

Message withdrawn

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