D-I-Y - Pizza

When I have idle time with the kids (which by the way, for a SAHM is rare and an oddity rather than a norm), I usu, find baking or some culinary activity something that the kids and I both enjoy....they do learn something from baking - weighing, kneading and also cleaning up (well, just a bit, thank goodness, we have Auntie Rini to help out).

This time I got hold of Baker's One's Pizza Mix and got our hands dirty doing this.....Actually, my aunt has made many fabulous pizza's from this easy mix. What we love is the dough has dried veges - capsicums and olives and of course no artificial stuff or preservatives....

From a small pack of pizza bread mix - one can easily churn out 3-4 thin 10" diameter pizza bases. This time, we made a few 8" ones and the remaining pizza dough was used to make mini 3" cheese pizzas for my kids packed lunches.

Step 1. Get a pack of pizza bread mix - you'll need also yeast, olive oil and some extra flour for dusting

Step 2. Add yeast to lukewarm, boiled water and stir to thoroughly mix

Step 3. Pour out the pizza mix into a large bowl and make a well in the centre, slowly pour in the yeast mixture and knead to combine mix and yeast mixture

Step 4. Knead on and add in some olive oil and knead till it becomes a dough...this takes quite alot of strength and endurance (that's why most of the pizza chefs are men???)....do not give up! It will slowly come together and become that beautiful round dough! Check out the brown bits - those are the dried veges....

If you have a great food processor - now's the time to dump in the dough and let the machine do the work. Unfortunately, I do not have one, and I wanted the kids to feel the "effort" of getting the pizza done!

Step 5. Let the dough rest (or in professional culinary terms - proof) in a warm place - that's why I put it in an unheated oven. This allows the dough to react with the yeast to double its size. Do not over proof beyond the stated time or it will sour....if you do not have the time to continue the next step, just put the dough (covered with clingwrap in the fridge).

Step 6. Shape the dough on a lightly floured surface. Flatten with a rolling pin and constantly turn and flatten on a floured surface and repeat the process, otherwise, the dough will never flatten or get larger but spring back to its small size!

Step 7. Top it up with all your favs....we put the usu, ham, pineapples, capsicum and loads and loads of cheese. And pop it in the oven to cook! It comes out thin and crispy oozing with cheese and overflowing with ingredients.....

With my recent craze for eating as little stuff with preservatives and more natural foods.....at least I know what are the stuff going into my pizza....I know the kids are eating top quality fresh beef and good quality ham (even tho that is filled with nitrates), freshly cut Dole pineapples and capsicum and plump white button mushrooms - not stuff from a can! Not to mention the cost of putting 2 packs of Italiano pizza mix cheese!

More CNY Golden Agar!

Little Didi:"Wah! What do you have there?"
Kor Kor: "Mummy's yummy jelly! "
"Soon, you will be eating out of my hands forever!" said kor kor (with wicked laughter trailing.............)

More pics.....

2 small carps

1 big + 2 small carps!

A trio of bunnies!

Alas, I am still working on my pizza blog! my delay has span across the chinese new year, not the calender year yet!