Pizza party

If you can get started a couple of hours early, homemade pizza is an easy, delicious meal option and so much cheaper than takeaway. It’s also healthier and allows you to be creative with toppings. With entertaining in mind, we decided to go a bit zoosh today and create a decadent pizza that can be assembled quickly and easily when company comes around. We smeared crème fraîche on our whole-wheat pizza base (recipe below) and topped with sheets of smoked salmon, red onion and capers. The whole-wheat gives a nuttiness to the pizza, and veering away from the classic tomato/mozzarella alternative makes a lighter change for the summer months. Vegetarian topping options could include an olive tapenade with roasted butternut and beets with crumbled feta; herbs, garlic, olive oil and anchovies or caramelised onions with Brie… the choices are endless. The light toppings and bready flavour of the whole-wheat base make these pizzas a good match with a toasty, aged bubbly, but anything cold will do! A crowd-pleaser as a snack or starter.

Amazing whole-wheat pizza crust

5ml (1 tsp) white sugar
375ml (1½ cups) warm water
15ml (1 tbsp) active dry yeast
15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
5ml (1 tsp) salt
500ml (2 cups) whole-wheat flour (we used Golden Cloud Krakley Wholewheat Flour
375ml (1½ cups) all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
2. Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole-wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.
4. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well-oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favourite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats or vegetables.
5. Bake for 16 – 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top.

Recipe from allrecipes.com.