Vegan Homemade Pizza
MAKES 2 LARGE OR 4 SMALL PIZZAS
PREP TIME 1 HOUR+
COOK TIME 10 MINS
NUT-FREE SOY-FREE
Ingredients
- 500 g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 7 g sea salt
- 7 g packet of fast-action dried yeast
- 12 ml (2½ teaspoons) olive oil
- 325 ml tepid water
- polenta (cornmeal), for sprinkling under the base
For the tomato sauce base
- 400–500g passata (sieved tomatoes) or
- 400 g (14 oz) tin of chopped tomatoes, half the juice drained off
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs or dried oregano
- handful of basil, torn (optional)
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the toppings
- 200 g vegan cheese, grated, or Vegan Pesto
- 200 g shiitake mushrooms or tempeh
- 400–500g tinned jackfruit, rinsed, drained and dried
To serve
- Add the flour to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment together with the salt, yeast and olive oil. (Take care that the yeast and salt do not mix or touch each other, as salt can kill the active properties of yeast.)
- Pour in the measured water and start kneading on a slow speed at first and slowly increase to a middle speed (halfway). Knead for 5 minutes, or until you have a nice elastic dough.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can make the dough with your hands. Make a circle of the flour mixed with the yeast on a clean work surface. Add the oil and salt to the water and slowly pour into the centre of the circle at the same time as mixing in the flour with your hands to form a dough. Once that is done, dust the work surface with flour and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, or until it is elastic.
- Form the dough into a ball, place in a bowl, cover with a dish towel and leave to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Place the dough in the refrigerator and leave overnight – this improves the elasticity of the dough, making it easier to stretch out.
- Preheat a fan oven to 220°C (475°F).
- Mix all the ingredients for the tomato sauce together in a large bowl and set aside.
- Cut the risen dough in half (and half again if making four pizzas). On a very lightly floured work surface, roll out each piece of dough and stretch until you have the desired shape and thickness. Keep playing with the dough to stretch it out, as it will continue to expand as you play with it.
- Place each pizza on a large baking sheet (add a sprinkle of polenta to the baking sheet first to stop the pizzas sticking), top with the tomato sauce and your desired toppings, and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes until the base is golden brown and crispy
All recipes courtesy of Make it Vegan by Madeleine Olivia (Hardie Grant, £25) Photography: Clare Winfield & Ali Green
Om Magazine
First published in November 2009, OM Yoga magazine has become the most popular yoga title in the UK. Available from all major supermarkets, independents and newsstands across the UK. Also available on all digital platforms.
