Vegan margherita pizza oven recipe

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 5 minutes

Makes 2

Ingredients

Toppings

¾ cup pizza sauce

2 pizza bases (see recipe, below)

2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

200g heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup torn basil leaves, plus extra leaves to garnish

200g dairy-free grated mozzarella cheese (see tip)

Pizza Dough

Prep 15 minutes + 1 hr proving

Cook 5 minutes

Makes 2 thin bases or 1 thick

2 cups bread and pizza flour, plus extra for dusting (see tip)

7g sachet dry yeast

1 tsp caster sugar

½ tsp salt

¾-1 cup warm water

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing

Method

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl, then stir in the yeast, sugar and salt. Add ¾ cup warm water and the oil and mix to form a soft dough. Add extra water if too dry. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

2. Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and rest in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).

3. Prepare and preheat a pizza oven according to the manufacturer’s instructions, or place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 220°C fan-forced (240°C conventional).

4. Punch down the dough, turn out onto a floured surface and shape into a ball without overworking. Cut the dough in half for 2 thin bases or leave whole for a thick base. (Make double quantity of dough to make 2 thick-base pizzas.) Dust a pizza peel or a large oven tray with flour.

5. Roll out 2 pieces of dough on a lightly floured surface to 25cm rounds for thin crust or the whole dough to 32cm for thick crust.

6. Spread the sauce evenly over the pizza bases leaving a 1cm border. Arrange the tomatoes and cherry tomatoes on top. Add the basil and sprinkle with cheese.

7. Once assembled with toppings, use the peel to slide the pizzas onto the hot floor in the pizza oven and cook for about 4 minutes or until crisp on the base, golden and bubbling. Or put the pizzas on prepared oven trays and cook in the oven for 6 minutes to firm up the base, then loosen and slide the pizza onto a hot pizza stone in the oven for a further 12 minutes to finish baking, for a crisp crust.

8. Garnish with extra basil leaves to serve.

Tip: Bread and pizza flour is available from supermarkets. Substitute with gluten-free plain or bread flour if necessary. Dairy-free (vegan) grated mozzarella is available from supermarkets and specialty food stores.

Keep in mind…

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for setting up, locating and using your pizza oven. Position on a flat, clear and well-ventilated space outdoors, a safe distance from combustible surfaces, and never leave unattended when lit.
• Before using a gas pizza oven, check the gas hose – do not use if it is crushed, kinked or cracked – and also that your LPG cylinder is in date.
• Check with your local fire service about using a pizza oven during restrictions such as fire bans. Keep children and pets away from the pizza oven and put matches and lighters out of children’s reach.

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Photo credit: Sue Stubbs.