9 October is Pizza + Beer Day and, while we don’t need an excuse to put pizza on the menu, consider this your sign. From a chewy pan pizza to an easy tray bake and lighter tortilla pizzas, there’s something here for every kind of pizza night.

 Salami & olive pan pizza

Think golden edges, a thick, soft and chewy crust, bubbling mozzarella and plenty of salty salami and olives.

Ingredients

Bread flour, for dusting
600g store-bought bread dough
Olive oil, to grease the pan
⅔ cup pizza sauce
1½ cups (225g) grated mozzarella
20g sliced salami
¼ cup whole black pitted olives
½ tsp dried origanum
Salt and milled pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll dough into a 32cm circle of about 2-3cm thick.
3. Generously grease a 35cm round, deep pan with olive oil. Place dough into the pan, pressing up to the sides.
4. Flatten the dough in the middle slightly to create a thick border and use a fork to indent the pizza base. Bake for 5 minutes.
5. Spread pizza sauce over the base and sprinkle with grated mozzarella.
6. Top with salami, olives and sprinkle with origanum. Season.
7. Bake the pizza for about 12-15 minutes or until cooked and golden.

Recipe & styling: Lichelle May
Photography: Zhann Solomons

No-knead pizza tray bake

No kneading, no fuss. This clever shake-it-together dough creates a crisp, slightly flaky base that’s perfect for feeding the family.

Ingredients

For the dough: 

2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
1 tsp (5ml) fine salt
⅔ cup (160ml) boiling water
⅓ cup (80ml) canola oil

For the toppings:

50g tomato paste
3 Tbsp tomato sauce
⅔ cup canned chopped tomatoes and onion
6 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
100g mozzarella, grated
10 slices salami or Pepperoni
Basil, for serving (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Spray a 3cm deep oven tray, of about 25x40cm, with non-stick spray.
2. For the dough, combine ingredients in a plastic food container and seal with a tight-fitting lid (see cook’s tip on page 55). Shake until dough comes together.
3. Turn out dough into prepared tray and spread out using your fingers, covering the entire base of your pan.
4. Spread tomato paste and tomato sauce over base.
5. Blitz chopped tomatoes and onion until smooth using a stick blender. Spread onto the base and sprinkle with herbs. Season.
6. Top with cheese and salami or pepperoni.
7. Bake at 200°C for 25-30 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and base is golden.
8. Slice into squares. Use a spatula to dish up and serve.

Cook’s tip

Use a sturdy container with a secure, tight-fitting lid, such as one with flap locks, so it won’t open while you’re shaking the hot ingredients.

Recipe & styling: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography: Zhann Solomons

Wholewheat tortilla pizzas with ham and mushroom

Short on time? Wholewheat tortillas make a brilliant shortcut to a crisp pizza base, with ham, mushrooms and plenty of bubbling mozzarella on top.

Ingredients

4 wholewheat tortillas
⅔  cup tomato puree
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried origanum
Salt and pepper
2½ cups mozzarella, torn
2 cups spinach, torn
1½ cups mushrooms, thinly sliced
8 slices ham, cut into strips

To serve:

½ cup olives, pitted and halved
¼ cup fresh origanum (optional)
Olive oil, to drizzle

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Place the tortillas on baking tray.
3. Mix the tomato puree and herbs. Spread the sauce evenly on each tortilla.
4. Scatter the mozzarella over the tomato bases, then top with spinach, mushrooms and ham.
5. Bake for 6–8 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
6. Remove the tortilla pizzas from the oven and top with olives, fresh origanum and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve hot.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

Also Read: Chorizo & tomato pizza recipe