Healthy wholemeal veggie pizza: ready for the oven
By making some adjustments to the traditional recipe, pizza can totally be a regular part of a healthy diet.
Our take on it is tasty, satisfying, packed with vegetables, and won’t give you that post-pizza ‘hangover’ feeling from the excess salt and fat found in ready-made or takeaway versions. All good things we think you’ll agree.
The other great thing about making your own pizza is that you can top it with any ingredients you like. We’ll often throw on some chicken breast strips in addition to the veggies listed here for protein.
Makes 4 medium pizzas
You will need:
- 500g organic wholemeal bread flour
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 x 7g yeast sachet
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 325ml lukewarm water
- 1 tsp brown rice syrup, agave or honey
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cans tinned tomatoes
- 2 balls mozzarella
- Selection of vegetables, cut into thin slices (we love onion, red pepper, mushrooms, courgette rounds or ribbons)
- Dried oregano or basil
- Extra virgin olive oil to serve
Method:
- Sieve the flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt. Make a well in the middle.
- In a jug, mix together the yeast, olive oil, water and brown rice syrup/honey and leave it to sit for 5 minutes. Pour into the well.
- Gradually bring the mixture together using a fork, mixing the flour into the liquid, until a dough starts to form. Knead the dough into a ball in the bowl using your hands then transfer it onto a floured surface and knead it well for about 5 minutes until it’s smooth and springy.
- Place the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with a warm, damp tea towel. Leave it in a warm place for around 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan a fry the garlic for 1-2 minutes then pour in the tinned tomatoes. Seasonal well with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer with the lid on at an angle for around 30-40 minutes until the water in the tomatoes has evaporated and you’re left with a thick tomato puree. If it’s taking too long to thicken, turn the heat up and leave the lid off the pan for a while. Leave the sauce to cool down before you use it.
- When you’re ready to cook the pizza, heat the oven to its hottest setting and place a flat baking tray or pizza tray in the oven.
- Knock the air out of the dough with your fist and knead it for a minute on a floured surface. Then divide it up into four pieces and stretch each one out into a rough circle. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, grease with olive oil, then carefully lift the dough base onto it. You’ll probably need to do the pizzas one or two at a time.
- Spread some of the tomato sauce onto the dough using the back of a spoon. Scatter over the vegetable slices, fill in the gaps with the mozzarella, season well, sprinkle over the dried herbs and finish with a drizzle of little olive oil. Cook for 10-15 minutes until crisp and golden. Repeat for the remaining pizzas.
NOTES
The dough can be frozen in balls, in clingfilm, and defrosted when you want to use it. It will also keep, wrapped in clingfilm, in the fridge overnight.
Add a little fresh chilli or dried chill flakes to the tomato sauce for an extra kick.
The tomato sauce can be made in advance and will keep for up to two days, covered, in the fridge.
