Frying Pan Pizza Pies recipe
With a crunchy base, rich tomato sauce and ample cheesy topping, Steph’s pizza is a camping crowd-pleaser.
- Prep Time
- 90 mins
- Cook Time
- 10 mins
- Total Time
- 100 mins
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 500g Italian 00 flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 1 1/2 tsp dried active yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- Glug of olive oil
- 325ml water
- 1/2 cup fine semolina (for rolling out dough)
- 400g tin diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups grated pizza cheese
- 1 bunch fresh basil (or dried oregano)
Method
- Step 1
- In a bowl, mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Stir in olive oil and water until it forms a smooth dough. Turn it out onto a lightly floured (semolina) surface, shape into a ball, cover and leave to rest for an hour.
- Step 2
- For the sauce, heat the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, sugar, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of water in a pot. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until thick and bright red, stirring occasionally. Let it cool before using.
- Step 3
- Divide the rested dough into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a ball. Roll out one of your dough balls on a surface dusted with semolina, until it’s about 0.5cm thick.
- Step 4
- Spread cooled tomato sauce over half of the dough, leaving a 1cm border around the edges. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of cheese on one side, and top with 4 torn basil leaves (or a sprinkle of dried oregano).
- Step 5
- Fold the half without toppings over the cheesy side and press the edges together to seal your pizza pie.
- Step 6
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and place your pizza pie in the pan. I always leave my heavy cast-iron frying pans at home and pack lighter, non-stick pans when I’m camping so it doesn’t matter if they get beaten around a little. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the bottom is golden, then flip and cook the other side. Pop a lid on after flipping to make sure the dough cooks through and the cheese melts!
- Step 7
- Do it all over again with the remaining 3 dough balls.
Take the pizzeria outdoors
Homemade pizza regularly tops the menu whenever Steph and her family throw outdoor parties.
“In every house we’ve owned, we have built a pizza oven in the backyard so it’s fair to say we’re a pizza-mad family,” reveals the former MasterChef Australia contestant.
“When we go camping, obviously we can’t take our oven with us, but I use the same pizza base recipe and turn it into a delicious pizza pie, using just a frying pan on a single burner. That way, we can still satisfy our pizza cravings, without having to fork out for takeaway and it’s perfect for families in a caravan or camper trailer too,” says Steph, a self-confessed ‘frugal foodie’.
“You can make the dough up to five days ahead, so I recommend doing this at home before you head off on holiday, then storing it in your cooler box in a zip lock bag or covered in clingfilm,” suggests Steph.
“That way you can spend more time relaxing with your friends and family. Same with the pizza sauce – make a big batch at home before you head off, store it in airtight containers and have it ready to use when you arrive to make things even easier. No judgement here! Also, for a super easy gluten-free alternative, buy some GF flour tortillas instead of using the homemade dough.”
Prefer a little more going on with your pizzas? Steph recommends throwing on some salami slices.
“As I always tell my followers, ‘You do you, Boo’.”
Thanks to Good & Fugly for providing fresh produce. They’re a supplier that champions local farmers, embraces perfectly imperfect but delicious food for significantly less ... and it lasts ... ideal for your camping trip!
FAQs
Steph dishes up her expert advice on frequently asked pizza cooking questions.
High-protein 00 flour is best for creating light and airy pizza crusts, but at a pinch, it’s fine to substitute plain flour.
Just grab a clean metal or glass bottle and use that. Be sure to wash it first and coat it with flour so it doesn’t stick.
Don’t have time to wait for your dough to rise? You can also use three teaspoons of baking powder, in place of yeast, which activates once you add water (as a general rule, it’s one teaspoon for every cup of flour).
Yes, you can freeze pizza dough. Just let it fully rise first, then divide it into single pizza portions.
Properly stored in a sealed plastic bag or airtight container, homemade pizza dough will last up to five days in the fridge or up to three months in the freezer.
Just pop it back in the frying pan over a medium heat for a few minutes. Add a few drops of water to the pan and cover with a lid so that the steam melts the cheese.
Generally, unopened hard cheeses such as cheddar and parmesan will last a bit longer at room temperature, but should still be kept in an ice or electric cooler, especially when the weather is hot.
