Homemade Vegetable Pizza

Few years back, when I started food blogging, it was all about sharing my Mom's recipes and anything I find easy to cook. Gulab Jamun, Potato Chips, Rasgulla and Muffins used to be all store bought in my kitchen. Just because, it was convenient to buy, rather than cook. Nowadays, I enjoy cooking such goodies at home. And baking a Pizza from scratch is one of my recent culinary ventures. If I can make it, so can you.

Ingredients:
All Purpose Flour/Maida - 2 1/2 cups
Olive Oil - 3 tbsp
Active Dry Yeast - 2 1/4 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt

Corn Meal - 2 tbsp (optional)

Tomato Paste - 1/2 cup
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Garlic Powder - 1 tsp
Pizza Seasoning - 1 tsp
Italian Seasoning - 1/2 tsp
Dry Basil - 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cayenne Pepper/Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp

Mozzarella Cheese - about 1 cup
Cheddar Cheese - 1/4 cup (optional)

Mini Bell Peppers - 3
Green Bell Pepper/Capsicum - 8 slices 
Black (Ripe) Olives - 5
Green Olives - 4
Jalapeno Pepper - 1
Red Onion - 1 small

How to bake a Vegetable Pizza at home:

Make Pizza Dough:

• In a large bowl, add yeast, sugar and 1 cup warm water. Let the yeast turn foamy, about 5 - 8 minutes. Add salt and all purpose flour. Mix all the ingredients well. Now add 2 tbsp olive oil and knead to form a smooth elastic dough. Knead well for about 5 minutes.
• Apply little oil to the dough and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place, until it doubles, about 2 hours.
• Punch down the dough and knead again lightly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise again until it has doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Punch down the dough again and use it for preparing pizza at once, or freeze the dough for later.

Make Pizza Sauce: 

• In a mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup tomato paste. Add 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic powder, pizza seasoning, Italian seasoing, dry basil, fresh ground black pepper, cayenne pepper and salt. Add about 1/2 cup water and mix all the ingredients well. Add black pepper and salt to suit your taste. Your pizza sauce is ready.
• I used store bought tomato paste and dry herbs. You can use fresh herbs, freshly minced garlic as well.

Vegetable Toppings and Cheese: 

• Grate the cheeses. Add more or less cheese to suit your taste.
• Julienne slice bell peppers and onion. Cut jalapenos and olives into rings.

Assembling Pizza:

• Preheat the oven at 450 degrees F. Grease a round cast iron pan with 1 tsp oil. Roll the pizza dough using a rolling pin. Sprinkle some corn meal on the work surface. Place the rolled pizza on the corn meal and slightly press it so that corn meal sticks.
• Place the rolled pizza on the greased pan. Spread the pizza dough in such a way that the edges are slightly thick and the central part forms a well for the toppings. Brush the rolled pizza all over with oil. You can also use butter for brushing the pizza. Make dents with your fingers, so that pizza does not puff up in the centre.
• Apply pizza sauce as much as you want. About 2 tbsp was enough for us.  Top it with grated cheese. And finally, spread the vegetable toppings as much as you want.
• Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes or until cheese melts and edges turn golden brown.

Enjoy Homemade Veggie Pan Pizza anytime you like.