Ten minute 'takeout' thick crust pizza
A tastier 'takeout' pizza in ten minutes
'Oh, I don't have time to cook tonight and there's nothing in the fridge. Let's call for a pizza'.
How many times in my life have I said this? Far too many, that's for sure, until I realized that I can make a gorgeous thick-crust pizza at home in about ten minutes. What even better is that it costs SO much less that takeout and I know exactly what ingredients are used. (I love my local takeout but let's be honest, who knows exactly what ingredients are used? That's important to everyone but even more so for vegetarians and vegans).
You can, of course, vary the topping to include whatever you have on hand. The reason I like to use mushrooms is because they are quick to cook. Because this is so quick and easy, it's ideal to cook if you're busy, especially if you're busy with other cooking tasks that involves already having the oven heated; for example, if you're having a baking session or are preparing a festive meal for lots of guests.
I also like the fact that there are no environmentally-unfriendly boxes and other packaging to throw away. Why call for a takeout when you can make this inexpensively and quickly?
Note: The ready-to-bake dough I use is vegetarian and vegan friendly. We're not vegan so we eat regular cheese but we have used a vegan mozzarella many times and it's completely delicious. See below.
Ingredients
- 1 tube pizza dough
- 3 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 6 button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- Olive oil
- 2 oz.cheese (vegan mozzarella is great) shredded
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 sloosh (about a tablespoon) red wine, optionally
- Freshly ground black pepper
- A few pine nuts and fresh basil leaves to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 (or according to the directions on the pack depending on the brand you have). Roll or press the dough into the required shape (I like to slap it around like those clever people at proper pizzerias). Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 6 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a skillet and gently fry the crushed garlic for a short time, about a minute
- Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, wine and pepper, bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer.
- Remove the base from the oven and using a spatula, make an indentation all around the base about half an inch from the edge. This forms a 'reservoir' and prevents the topping dripping onto the edge.
- Add the tomato/mushroom mixture, spreading it evenly over the crust. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake for a further five or six minutes until the cheese is melting and just beginning to bubble.
- Sprinkle with pine nuts and fresh basil leaves and serve hot.
Useful helpers
Italian food is so popular and it's easy to create vegetarian or vegan meals using this book. Also, see the mozzarella we love.
Better than a takeout
This pizza is so quick and easy to make. You can whip it up in a fraction of the time that it would take for a pizza delivery to arrive. And for those who prefer to collect the pizza,remember it's not only quicker but there's no need to get the car out and use precious gas.
This is far more environmentally friendly not only for that reason - there's also no packaging to throw away. (It infuriates me when a pizza arrives with half a dozen paper napkins, plastic knives and forks and those silly little containers of salt and pepper).
If you have your pizza delivered then the pizza man is also using fuel in his vehicle and then you have to tip him which adds to the cost of this simple meal.
I certainly don't want to put our local pizza parlour out of business - I love them - but there comes a time when we can take control and cook our own inexpensive pizzas to suit our own personal tastes.
