Homemade pizza from scratch, step by step

Food & Cooking · 7 min read

A good pizza at home is less about fancy equipment and more about a well-rested dough, a simple sauce and a very hot bake. The recipe below makes two medium pizzas, serves three to four people, and works in a regular home oven or even on a heavy tawa if you do not have one.

What you need

For the dough

• 2 cups (about 250 g) all-purpose flour (maida), plus extra for dusting
• 1 teaspoon instant or active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• About 3/4 cup lukewarm water (roughly 130 to 150 ml, add gradually)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or any neutral oil

For the sauce and toppings

• 3 ripe tomatoes or one cup of tomato puree
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, salt, a pinch of sugar and black pepper
• Mozzarella cheese, around 150 to 200 g grated
• Toppings: onion, capsicum, sweet corn, olives, mushrooms, paneer, jalapenos or whatever you like

Step 1: Activate the yeast

Stir the yeast and sugar into the lukewarm water and leave it for about ten minutes. It should become foamy. The water should feel comfortably warm to the touch, not hot, since very hot water kills yeast. If using instant yeast you can skip this and mix it into the flour, but a foam test confirms the yeast is alive.

Step 2: Mix the dough

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Pour in the yeast water and oil, and mix until it forms a shaggy dough. Add water by the spoonful if it is too dry, or a little flour if too sticky. You want a soft, slightly tacky dough that is not glued to your fingers.

Step 3: Knead

Knead on a floured surface for eight to ten minutes. Push the dough away with the heel of your hand, fold it back, turn and repeat. When ready, it should feel smooth and elastic and spring back when pressed gently. Try the windowpane test: stretch a small piece thin, and if it forms a translucent film without tearing, the gluten is developed.

Step 4: Let it rise

Shape into a ball, place it in an oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Leave in a warm spot for one to one and a half hours, until it has doubled in size. In cold weather, put the bowl in an oven that is off with the light on. For better flavour, you can let the dough rise slowly in the fridge overnight, then bring it to room temperature before using.

Step 5: Make the sauce

Blanch the tomatoes in hot water for two minutes, peel and puree them. Heat a spoon of oil, saute the garlic for 30 seconds, add the puree, oregano, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity. Simmer on low for ten to twelve minutes, until thick. A watery sauce makes a soggy base, so reduce it well. Cool before use.

Step 6: Shape the base

Preheat the oven to its highest setting, usually 230 to 250 degrees Celsius, for at least 20 minutes, with a baking tray or tawa inside to heat. Punch down the risen dough, divide in two, and let it rest for five minutes. Stretch each piece with your fingers or a rolling pin into a roughly 9 to 10 inch circle, leaving the edges slightly thicker. Do not over-roll, as it removes the air bubbles. Prick the centre lightly with a fork to avoid a large bubble.

Step 7: Top it

Spread two to three tablespoons of sauce, leaving a border. Sprinkle a thin layer of mozzarella first, then toppings, and a little more cheese. Do not overload; too many wet toppings make the centre soggy. Pre-cook watery vegetables such as mushrooms and paneer briefly to remove excess moisture.

Step 8: Bake

Slide the pizza onto the hot tray, or use parchment paper to transfer it. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, until the edges are golden and the cheese is bubbling with a few brown spots. If your oven is weaker, it may take a few minutes longer. Rest for two minutes before cutting so the cheese sets.

No oven? Use a tawa or pan

Cook the base on a heavy-bottomed pan with a lid on low-to-medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the underside is set. Flip, add sauce and toppings, cover and cook another 6 to 8 minutes on low flame until the cheese melts. A pan with a lid traps the heat, and placing a flat tawa underneath prevents burning. The crust will be softer than oven-baked, but still tasty.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Dense, hard crust	Under-kneaded or under-risen dough	Knead longer and let it double in size
Soggy middle	Watery sauce or toppings	Reduce sauce, pre-cook vegetables, preheat tray
Dough shrinks back	Gluten is too tight	Rest the dough for 5 to 10 minutes and stretch again
Burnt bottom, raw top	Tray too close to heat	Move the rack to the middle; use a lower setting
Dough did not rise	Dead yeast or cold room	Check yeast freshness; find a warmer spot

Tip: Freeze extra dough balls in oiled bags for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, bring to room temperature, and you have a pizza ready in thirty minutes.

Final thoughts

Your first pizza may be oddly shaped, and that is part of the fun. Each attempt teaches you something about your oven and your dough. Let children choose toppings, and keep the heat as high as your oven allows. Take care when handling the hot tray and always use oven gloves.