Stuffed crust pizza base with veggie toppings

Pizza is the ultimate TV/hangout food and that’s what we order on days I don’t feel like cooking. Although most pizzas that I have eaten are pretty good, once you make a homemade pizza base, you will definitely notice the difference in both taste and texture. The best part is that it is easy to make and does not take time. Making pizza is fun and little kids can help too by throwing in any topping they want! I like to play with different pizza base shapes: sometimes I make mini pizzas and sometimes square shaped ones! I also add whole wheat flour, oats and any other whole grain I have at home at that moment so that it is healthier than the ones we eat outside. The amount of cheese can also be regulated and so in the end what you get is a fresh, warm, low-calorie, high-fiber, beautiful looking pizza!

For Pizza base:

Prep time: 10 min Rising time: 30 minutes Serves: 1 large pizza

Ingredients:
Plain flour: 3 1/2 cups
Whole wheat flour: 1/4 cup
Oats: 1/4th cup
Warm water: 1 glass
Yeast: 1 tbsp
Sugar: 1/2 tsp
Salt: 1 tsp
Oil: 2 tbsp
Cheese sticks/string cheese (optional)

Method:
1) Mix yeast with warm water and sugar and keep aside for 10 min.
2) Meanwhile, mix plain flour, whole wheat flour, oats and salt. Make a well in the middle and pour oil and the yeast water and make a soft dough. It will be sticky initially but as you knead it, it will become smooth and soft. Adjust the amount of water and flour if necessary.

3) Grease a bowl lightly with oil and put the dough in it, coating it with oil on all sides. Cover the bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise for 30 min. It should almost double in size by then.

4) Preheat oven at 500 degrees F. Meanwhile, start making the pizza base using your hands or by rolling the dough into a circular shape on a lightly floured surface. Make sure the thickness is even and don’t let it be too thick as it will rise in the oven again. Place it on a pan.

For stuffed crust pizza base:
Place cheese sticks (or sausage, ham, bacon) cut into 2 inch long pieces, about 1/2 inch thick all around the edge of the pizza base.

Lift the edges and cover the cheese and press it so that the folds don’t open. This is optional, you can make a simple pizza base without the stuffed crust too.

For topping:
Prep time: 5 min Baking time: 10 min Serves: 8 slices

Ingredients:
Tomato sauce: 1 tbsp
Grated parmesan cheese: 4 tbsp
Grated cheddar cheese: 4 tbsp
Grated mozzarella cheese: 1 cup
Sliced mushrooms: 4 (I used cremini)
Sliced onions: 1/2 small onion
Chopped tomato: 1 small
Baby spinach: 15-20 leaves
Chopped parsley: 2 sprigs
Oregano: 1 tsp
Garlic basil powder: 1 tsp
Salt to taste 

Method:
1) Smear a tomato sauce or paste in the pizza base and place the mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, baby spinach and chopped parsley.

2) Sprinkle the different types of cheese and seasoning  all over the pizza and bake it in the preheated oven at 500 degrees F for 8-10 min.

3) Slice and serve hot.

(Note: You can use any topping and adjust the amount of cheese according to your choice. I used these toppings because that’s what I had at home at that time! Other interesting veggie toppings would be asparagus, baby corn, pineapple, paneer or cottage cheese, olives, soya granules and so on!)

That’s the cheese in the stuffed crust!