If you make your own pizza...

[FrenchBoule]

... what topping combinations would you recommend?

How do you make your tomato sauce? Mine is tin of chopped tomatoes with garlic and a bit of tomato puree. Still a bit watery sometimes and not enough tomato tasting 🙄

For the sauce I fry up onions, garlic, then tomatoes and tomato purée. I leave it on a low heat for about an hour to reduce. That makes it nice and thick.
Toppings- mozzarella and anchovy is my favourite.

Tinned tomatoes reduced down with garlic and salt. I let it bubble for at least 15 minutes to get it rich and tomatoey. For toppings I like wilted spinach, mushrooms and pine nuts. Or olives, capers and balsamic onions. Or thinly sliced courgette, lemon zest and chilli flakes.
Drizzle with a little good quality olive oil and put some fresh basil on top.

This is a good one for sneaking in veggies:

www.myfussyeater.com/hidden-veggie-tomato-sauce/?epik=dj0yJnU9a2VwR0VGb2NnVmRFZG9oMF9zaEVKQXlZSnFDdzFHRF8mbj1XU0JJVTlLVTNQcGVTaHF5dkFfcnBBJm09MyZ0PUFBQUFBRjE0eXpJ

If I make muffin pizzas I rub garlic over the muffin then use tomato puree.

Garlic and herb passata here.

Passata with herbs, sometimes I add a bit of chilli depending on topping which varies to what is in the house, pretty much most foods can go on pizza, inc baked beans and cheese!

We don't do very exciting toppings I think ...

Toppings for us include - mozzarella and homemade pesto
goats cheese and chorizo (DH!)
spinach/rocket and egg

As others have said, long cooking and reduction of the sauce gives a lovely, thick result. Plum tomatoes (skin them if fresh) onions, lots of garlic. I add my herbs towards the end of cooking and a dash of balsamic or lemon juice adds something.
Italian friend’s mum cooks her ragu for 5 or 6 hours!

Could anyone share their recipe for a good base?

I use bbq sauce. Lay out the dough, thin spread of sauce, cook off some onions, peppers and mushrooms (and any spare veg), leftover meat and top well with cheese.

I fry half an onion and a couple of cloves of garlic then add a tin of chopped tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar and simmer it for about 40 minutes, then puree it with a stick blender.

For toppings, I lay loads of stuff out and people choose their own, it's part of the ritual of pizza night. We discovered basil leaves as a topping when someone brought them to a holiday pizza night. That was a game changer.

I don’t actually use sauce - I just put a tiny bit of good olive oil on top of the circle of dough, and then a dollop of tomato purée. You don’t need much. Gently spread it around with the back of a spoon, then add the cheese and other toppings.

I do make our dough from scratch but that takes no time, and if I made sauce as well I think it would just move the whole undertaking into “meals that are a slight faff” category.

Toppings - I like artichokes, pine nuts, black olives, spinach, chilli flakes. Definitely going to try @forkfun’s courgette idea.

Thanks for all the replies, know how to tackle tomato sauce now. Will probably make bigger quantity, reduce in the oven and freeze.

As for toppings- I use what’s in the fridge so mixture of onion, pepper, mushrooms, might go for chorizo or cooked chicked if I have any.

Obligatory sprinkiling of cheese at the top of course.

I use this dough recipe: www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/01/foolproof-pan-pizza-recipe.html

No kneading at all, but does need an overnight prove. I usually triple the recipe and freeze the dough portioned out after the first prove. Can then defrost and make as normal.

For pizza base I use a tin of tomatoes, a peeled onion and a good wodge of butter simmered for an hour. Season at the end.

Toppings I usually go for artichokes, black olives, roasted red peppers and tons of cheese. Or really finely chopped courgette and spinach under a mountain of cheese for dd.

I just mix a good quality passata (ie thick not watery) with a pinch of salt and sugar, oregano and crushed garlic. I used to do the reducing tinned tomatoes for hours but have recently realised it’s just as good this way. Then usually top with a mix of grated and fresh mozzarella- fussy eaters here so rarely bother with anything more exciting!

Jenny from The Chase did a white pizza (using bechamel sauce instead of tomato) with goats cheese, figs and onions on Celebrity Masterchef, looked amazing.

Passata here.
Mozzarella, Mushroom, black olives, cherry tomatos, grilled asparagus, prosciutto/parma ham.
Topped when cooked with a handful of rocket and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic!
Yummy!

For an alternative to pizza we sometimes do lahmacun - which I think traditionally is rolled up but we just slice as pizza.

I used to follow Sabrina Ghayors base recipe for lahmacun but the last couple of times it hasn't worked so no just do basic flatbread recipe (Moro) and then Sabrina's topping which is smushed up lamb mince, tomatoes, chilli - so good!

Passata, cheese, tuna and sweet corn

I use passata with basil & add onions, pepper & any other random vegetables I think I can get away with!

For toppings, my DC mostly only eat ham or pepperoni on pizza. Personally, I prefer tuna, pepper, red onion & spinach. I'm going to have to make pizza tonight now! Yum!

We have a wood-fired oven in the garden. We use Jamie's pizza dough recipe and Pizza Express tomato sauce straight from the can.

For the tomato, I use sundried tomato paste.

I do a can of chopped tomatoes, garlic, herbs, onions (finely chopped) and then cooking down for an hour.

Or ketchup, puree and pasata with squeezy garlic if I'm in a rush.

For my sauce I use a tin of chopped tomatoes, a vegetable stock pot, sautéed onions, and dried oregano.

DS3 has me hooked on his favourite topping of black olive, pineapple and anchovy. It's amazing.

DH and the other DC are dull and like pepperoni, salami or chorizo.

I use passata, tomato purée, a splash of balsamic vinegar, dried oregano and a crushed garlic clove

I have been making this paneer pizza on repeat mode lately. I get very good quality indian cottage cheese and it is so easy.

www.cookclickndevour.com/paneer-pizza/