Virtual Vegan Potluck – Easy and Not Cheesy Pizza

I am delighted to present my dish for the May 2013 Virtual Vegan Potluck. What an amazing opportunity to salivate at the computer screen browsing all these wonderful vegan masterpieces! What’s more, you get to connect with vegans all over the globe! See the links at the end of this post to return to the Moroccan Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Stew from Made of Stars or continue on to another pizza recipe by The Cruelty-free Review! You can also go back to the beginning at Vegan Bloggers Unite! and view a list of links to all participants by order of course. Thank you Annie, Lidia, Somer and Jason for all of your hard work making this potluck a reality for the third time and to all the bloggers taking part!

So, I’m bringing pizza to the potluck table. Who doesn’t love pizza? No mock meats or cheese here, just pure vegetable deliciousness – the toppings sing a fine tune all by themselves. When I made my first vegan pizza, I genuinely realised I preferred it to the old cheese laden kind I would have before. It was actually light – I know, pizza, light?! It didn’t make me feel heavy and greasy (greasy fingers and lips – yuck!) and most importantly, I could actually taste each topping, not just an overload of dominating cheese!

This recipe is for a quick pizza base – no yeast – no waiting – pizza in minutes!!!

Serves 4 individual (about 8 inch) pizzas or 2 large pizzas – great for sharing!

For the base:

2 Cups plain flour (for best results use one cup of a maize and wheat pastry flour blend)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

6 tablespoons olive oil (I like to use half plain oil and half flavoured like garlic or basil oil)

2/3 cup warm water

Topping:

Ready made tomato sauce or homemade (simmer canned tomatoes with garlic, onion and herbs until saucy)

Toppings of choice; my pictures are of peppers and courgettes and avocado, sweetcorn and sliced fresh beetroot. Use anything you like!

Method:

1. Mix together all the base ingredients but the water. Gradually add the water and mix with your hands until a smooth, soft but not sticky dough is formed – it should clean the bowl. Knead for about a minutes until smooth. Divide into 2 or 4 depending on how many pizzas you are making.
2. Have your toppings ready to as you need to work relatively quickly once the dough is in the pan.
3. Heat the grill to high. Place an oven proof pan onto a medium heat (a large one for 2 pizzas or smaller for individual pizzas).
4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a circle roughly the size of your pan. Fold into a half moon then again to make a ‘quarter moon’. Transfer the rounded edge to one corner of your pan and open up. Curl the edges in to make the crust.
5. Spread on the sauce then arrange your toppings. Transfer to the grill until the toppings are cooked and the crust is golden and crisp.
6. Don’t burn yourself on the pan handle like I did/always do.

Base adapted from Abel&Cole

Nutritional information for the base only, based on 4 servings;

Or go back to the beginning!

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