Recipe

Wildcats' Purrfect Pizza

Serves 4

To keep your “head in the game” eat the Wildcats’ Purrfect Pizza – you are sure to score.

Ingredients:

  • 175g strong plain flour plus extra for sprinkling
  • 7g packet fast-acting dried yeast
  • 1×5ml spoon sugar
  • 3×5ml spoons olive oil
  • 1/4×5ml spoon salt
  • 125ml warm water
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes
  • 2×5ml spoons tomato puree
  • 1×15ml spoon oregano plus extra for sprinkling
  • 90g cheddar cheese
  • 110g mozzarella cheese
  • 2 red peppers
  • 4×5ml spoons canned sweetcorn
  • Black pepper

Equipment:

  • Weighing scales
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring jug
  • Mixing bowl
  • Saucepan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Clean tea towel
  • Chopping board
  • Sharp knife *please get an adult to help you
  • Can opener
  • Grater
  • Colander
  • Rolling pin
  • Knife or spatula for spreading
  • Pizza tray or large baking tray
  • Oven gloves

Method:

  1. Pre heat the oven to 200°C or Gas Mark 6.
  2. Put the flour, yeast, salt, sugar and 1×5ml spoon of olive oil, into the mixing bowl.
  3. Heat the water until just warm (not hot as it will kill the yeast). Gradually add the warm water and mix to form a soft dough.
  4. Dust a clean, dry work surface with a little flour and knead until the dough is smooth and stretchy. This will take around 10 minutes.
  5. Place the dough in the mixing bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes to an hour until the dough has doubled in size.
  6. Whilst the dough is rising, chop the garlic into small pieces. Measure 2×5ml spoons of olive oil into the saucepan and fry over a medium heat for around 1 minute..
  7. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and oregano to the saucepan. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. The colour should change to a deep red colour. Season with a little black pepper.
  8. Grate the cheddar cheese and slice the mozzarella cheese.
  9. Wash the red pepper. Cut in half and remove the seeds and white pith. Slice into long thin strips.
  10. When the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and knead it for another 5 minutes.
  11. Roll out the dough into a circle about 1cm thick and place on the pizza tray or large baking tray.
  12. Pour the tomato sauce over the pizza base and spread evenly.
  13. Sprinkle the cheddar and mozzarella cheese onto the pizza.
  14. Use the red peppers strips to spell out the letters HSM WILDCATS.
  15. Sprinkle the sweetcorn over the bottom and top of the pizza.
  16. Sprinkle the oregano over the whole pizza.
  17. Put the pizza in the oven and bake for 10 to fifteen minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Top tips

Add warm water to the yeast. If it is too hot it will kill the yeast or too cold and your dough won’t rise.

If your dough is a bit sticky add more flour. If it’s too dry add a little more warm water.

You could try substituting some of the white flour in the pizza base for wholemeal flour.

Kneading dough by hand can take up to 10 minutes, depending on your energy. Use your knuckles to push the dough away from you, fold the dough in half, turn it around and continue pushing the dough away from you. Keep working until the dough feels smooth and stretchy.