09 February 2023 , 10:25
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It's National Pizza Day and as such we're sure many fans of the tasty treat will be ordering one from their local Domino's or Pizza Hut this evening, but nothing really beats eating a fresh, homemade pizza.
For some, the idea of whipping up a pizza from scratch - making dough and sauce - will likely be quite daunting, but it turns out it doesn't have to be.
A top chef, who was crowned Pizza Chef of the Year at the 2022 British Pizza and Pasta Association Industry Awards, has shared her top tips for cooking pizza and warned against the mistake many people make with their base.
Speaking to the Mirror, Nicola Jackson-Jones, the owner of Two Cents Pizza, told how her method guarantees restaurant-quality pizza, but in order to achieve this, you have to be patient.
"I think people get a bit frightened of making their own dough and think it's really hard to do, but you don't have to do a lot of hands-on time with your pizza dough," she said.
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Nicola says making dough doesn't have to be 'scary' (stock photo) (Getty Images)"Just mix your flour and your water together in a rough mix, cover it and leave it for half an hour then get the rest of your ingredients in there like your salt and yeast and just keep coming back and stretching it and folding it.
"You'll see that with each stretch and fold it will change and look smoother and softer."
This is the point where many people might be tempted to rush into the actual cooking part, but according to the expert this would be a big mistake.
Many might want their pizza to be ready to eat within an hour, but this isn't right as time is paramount here.
"Time is the biggest thing with dough, don't try and make some dough for it to be ready in one hour because it won't taste great. You want to get those chemical reactions going and get that yeast going," Nicola continued.
"If you leave it for a day and just use a tiny pinch of yeast, when you come to it, it'll be like restaurant-quality pizza the next day.
"Give it time, don't rush things, it'll be beautiful."
The expert was crowned Pizza Chef of the Year in 2022 (British Pizza and Pasta Association)And when it comes to your pizza toppings, simple is the way to go.
"I think basic is better," Nicola says. "If you can get really good quality tomatoes that's the key. Crush them by hand, add a little bit of salt in there, and let that tomato shine through.
"If you've got tomatoes that aren't the best quality and they taste a little bit bitter, then get a little pinch of sugar in there and that will help with the acidity.
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"Don't cook it as well, a lot of people cook the sauce, but that makes it bitter as it's been cooked in the can and then it's being cooked on the pizza, you don't need to cook it for a third time in the middle. Just put it straight on there and it'll do its thing when it's in the oven."
But if making a homemade sauce isn't for you, there are several ways you can 'pimp up' a storebought pizza sauce, with Nicola recommending adding a bit of garlic and basil.
"I was taught to keep your sauce quite classic and clean and not add lots of different flavours in there, just add flavour mindfully to each pizza.
"So if you want some garlic, add it to this pizza, add some basil.
"There's no shame in storebought sauce, just keep it classic."
The chef also shared her top tip for reheating leftover pizza to avoid getting the dreaded soggy bottom and all you need is a pan and a lid.
She added: "I always love to reheat pizza on the hob.
"Get your pan and heat it up, then get your pizza in there and put a lid on the pan to keep some of that heat in and leave it until your cheese is bubbling."
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