3 mouth-watering pizza oven recipes (and a simple dough)

Crowd-pleasing classics

Homemade pizza dough makes all the difference! Try out our foolproof dough recipe. Before you throw it in the pizza oven, don’t forget to add your favourite flavours. We’ve created 3 delicious topping combinations, and a healthy side salad your tastebuds will love.

Pizza dough

(Makes 2 thin bases or 1 thick)

2 cups bread and pizza flour, plus extra for dusting (see Tip, below)
7g sachet dry yeast
1 tsp caster sugar
½ tsp salt
¾-1 cup warm water
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing

Tip: Bread and pizza flour is available from supermarkets. Substitute with gluten-free plain or bread flour if necessary.

1.  Mix ingredients
Sift flour into a large bowl, then stir in yeast, sugar and salt. Add ¾ cup warm water and oil and mix to a soft dough. Add some extra water if too dry. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

2. Put dough into a lightly oiled bowl
Cover and rest in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).

3. Prepare and preheat pizza oven
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions or place a pizza stone in a fan-forced oven while it is preheating to 220°C.

4. Shape and cut the dough
Dust 2 large oven slides with flour. Punch down dough and turn out on a floured surface. Shape into a ball without overworking. Cut dough in half for 2 thin bases or leave whole for a thick base. (Make double quantity of dough to make 2 thick-base pizzas.)

5. Prepare the dough
Roll out 2 pieces of dough on a lightly floured surface to 25cm rounds for thin crust or whole dough to 32cm for thick crust. Place each on a prepared tray.

6. Assemble with toppings and cook
Slide pizzas onto hot floor in pizza oven and cook for about 4 minutes or until crisp on the base, golden and bubbling; or in oven on trays for 6 minutes to firm up base, then loosen and slide pizza onto hot pizza stone in oven for a further 12 minutes to finish baking, for a crisp crust.

Chicken parmigiana pizza

¼ cup vegetable oil
3 x 200g pieces crumbed chicken schnitzel
¾ cup Napolitana pasta sauce
Pizza dough (see first recipe)
⅔ cup grated parmesan
150g thinly sliced ham, shredded
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup torn basil leaves, plus extra leaves to garnish
500g mozzarella ball, sliced
1½ cups grated pizza cheese

1. Cook the chicken
Heat oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Cook schnitzel on both sides until cooked through and lightly golden. Drain on paper towel. Cut into large pieces.

2. Add toppings
Spread pasta sauce evenly over 2 pizza bases, leaving a 1cm border. Sprinkle over parmesan. Top with schnitzel, ham, tomatoes and basil. Place slices of mozzarella on top. Sprinkle with cheese.

3. Cook pizzas following Step 6 in the dough recipe
Serve garnished with extra basil leaves.

Middle Eastern lamb pizza

500g lamb mince
1 tbsp harissa paste
1 tbsp harissa spice mix
½ tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Pizza dough (see first recipe)
⅓ cup tomato pesto
1 tomato, deseeded, finely chopped
½ red onion, finely chopped
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
100g Danish feta
1 cup Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
Mint leaves, to garnish

1. Cook mince, harissa paste and aromatics
Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add mince, break up lumps with a wooden spoon until it has changed colour. Add harissa paste, spice mix, salt and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until browned.

2. Roll out and top the pizza dough
Roll pizza dough into 2 oval pizzas, 40cm x 20cm. Spread pesto evenly over bases, leaving a 1cm border. Spread lamb mixture over. Sprinkle with tomato, onion and pine nuts. Break up feta and sprinkle on top.

3. Cook, garnish and serve
Cook pizzas following Step 6 in first recipe. Combine yoghurt and lemon juice and drizzle over to serve. Sprinkle with mint leaves to garnish.        

Spanish potato and chorizo pizza

850g brushed potatoes, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
¼ cup olive oil
2 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp roughly chopped oregano, plus extra for garnish
2 (250g) chorizo, thinly sliced
⅓ cup pizza sauce
Pizza dough (see first recipe)
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1½ cups grated pizza cheese
⅓ cup roasted red capsicum strips, drained
Rocket leaves and garlic aioli, to serve

1. Soften the potatoes
Place potatoes in a microwave-safe dish. Pour ¼ cup water over. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Pat potato dry on paper towel.

2. Cook potatoes in herbs and spices
Heat oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add potatoes and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle smoked paprika, salt, garlic and oregano over. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan.

3. Add chorizo to the same pan
Cook for 2 minutes or until just beginning to colour. Remove.

4. Add cooked toppings to the dough
Spread sauce evenly over 2 pizza bases, leaving a 1cm border. Sprinkle with potato, chorizo, onion, cheese and capsicum.

5. Bake, garnish and serve
Cook pizzas following Step 6 in first recipe. Garnish with rocket and serve with aioli.

Spring tabouli

¾ cup white quinoa
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces
1 cup (130g) edamame beans, thawed (see Tip, below)
4 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
¾ cup chopped Italian parsley
⅓ cup coarsely chopped dill
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 pieces preserved lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 avocado, chopped

Tip: Edamame (baby soy beans) are available frozen in supermarkets. They are ready to eat once thawed. You can use green baby peas instead – cook frozen peas in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and cool.

1. Cook the quinoa

Rinse quinoa and put in a saucepan with 1½ cups of water. Bring to a simmer, reduce to low, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes or until tender and liquid has absorbed. Drain, allow to cool.  

2. Prepare asparagus

Pour boiling water over asparagus and stand for 3 minutes. Drain, cool under cold water and drain again.

3. Combine ingredients

Combine quinoa, asparagus, edamame, onions, parsley, dill and sesame seeds in a large bowl.

4. Dress the salad

Discard flesh from preserved lemon then finely chop the rind. Combine rind, lemon juice and oil in a small jug. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon salad into a serving bowl and sprinkle avocado on top. Pour dressing over and toss gently to serve.

Looking for some vegie alternatives?

Check out our delicious vegetarian pizza party recipes.