Today i8: Artichoke, Red Onion, Eggplant and Cheddar Pizza

Technically it was yesterday I ate this pizza, but it didn't have the same ring to it. I was buggered being awake for the 24 hours stint in which I made todays (>.>) meal - but I am proud as this is the first time I made my own pizza dough from scratch! - Unfortunately I don't have A. a rolling pin, B. a nice surface to work flour on and C. a pizza stone. So not only was my kitchen a floury mess but my pizza base was disappointingly un-crisp - so pizza stone and rolling pin are now on the shopping list.

 Artichoke, Red Onion, Eggplant and Cheddar Pizza... or really just pizza which you can top with whatever you like.

Otherwise perfect - dam you pizza stone!

PIZZA DOUGH! - a brief recipe for 2x pizza worth of the stuff

Ingredients

• ½ cup warm water
• 1¼ cup water, at room temperature
• 2¼ tsp. instant yeast
• 4 cups flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1½ tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

You will also need some gladwrap and a reasonable size bowl,

Procedure

1.  Put the warm water in a large cup and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Allow to rest for a 2 minutes and then add the room temp water into the cup as well
2. Combine the flour and salt and briefly mix. Add in the olive oil and the yeast mixture and combine until it forms a dough
3. Knead the pizza dough for 5-10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic then place into a lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat - cover with cling wrap and set aside for 1-2 hours.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and press lightly to deflate, separate into two lumps of dough (for two pizzas!) Form both into a ball - wrap one in plastic wrap and place inside a freezer bag and put it in the freezer (defrost in the fridge overnight when ready to use). Cover the second ball with a damp cloth and allow to rest for 10 minutes (no longer)
5. Lightly flour your hands and shape the dough by pulling it out into a pizza shape this makes a nice crust (best done on some parchment paper for easy movement onto a pizza stone [**sniff** :(] ) 
6. Brush the outer edges with olive oil and top with pizza ingredients.....you can also brush the outside with some pizza sauce before adding the olive oil for extra colour and flavour 
7. When you are ready to cook preheat your oven to 230 C (or 446 F) with the pizza stone inside and bake pizza till the crust is golden, the cheese is bubbling - about 8-12 minutes.

THE TOPPING

Ingredients:

• 1 jar of artichokes, chopped
• 1 large eggplant, prepared by dicing, salting (letting sit for 30 minutes), rinsing and then oven baking or frying - alternatively you can use the jarred variety.
• 1 red onion, ringed and then cut into smaller pieces
• Sliced black or green olives (if desired)
• Sundried tomato pieces (if desired)
• Cheddar cheese, grated (or mozzarella if you have it - we didn't :P)
• 1 tin diced tomato
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 1Tbs olive oil
• 1Tbs garlic, diced finely
• Mixed herbs (to taste)
• 1Tbs brown sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Lupus (my sons pizza)

• a grated carrot

Procedure:

1. Make the Pizza sauce, in a small pot add the olive oil and heat on medium heat then add the garlic and brown onion, sauté until translucent - add the tin of tomato, brown sugar, mixed herbs, salt and pepper (add red wine and some extra basil if desire). Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for at least 15 minutes - then blend the sauce if desire (I did using a hand blender)

2. Top the pizza with a layer of pizza sauce followed by a layer of grated cheese. Also give the crust of the pizza a brushing with a little of the pizza sauce.

3. Add the diced eggplant and lightly press it into the pizza, then top with artichokes, olives, sundried tomato and red onion pieces - Finally sprinkle with some extra cheese

4. Slide pizza directly onto the pizza stone (which should be heated up in your oven!) and cooked untill the crust is golden, the cheese is bubbling - about 8-12 minutes.

For lupus' child's pizza:

1. Make a small pizza with a small portion of dough and top with pizza sauce

2. Add the grated carrot (or other vegetables)

3. Top liberally with cheese (it hides the veg :P )

4. Bake in the oven just like the adult pizza!

What vegetables?!