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Homemade Pizza

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Homemade Pizza Recipe


Over the years, I’ve shared a number of pizza recipes on the blog (see here, here, and here), but never one from start to finish – crust & sauce included. In reality, though, we make homemade pizza from scratch fairly often around here. Why? It’s one of the few meals we eat where we get to spend time in the kitchen together. I do most of the cooking in our house, but when pizza night rolls around, both of us pitch in.

I also love to make pizza when I entertain because, well, everyone loves pizza, and it’s customizable! It’s easy to make different toppings to suit different tastes. You can even get your guests involved in topping their own personal pizzas, so everyone has a hand in the final meal. When Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove asked us to create a recipe that celebrates their philosophy of living deliciously, I thought immediately of homemade pizza and my shared time in the kitchen with Jack, friends, and family.



Taking time out of our busy days to put down our phones and celebrate every glorious flavor, guest, and memory makes me feel like we are truly living deliciously. For me, this also means living seasonally. I visit local farmers markets to get inspiration for what to cook and what to eat, and in warm weather, Jack and I grow our own herbs on our back deck. How does eating seasonally relate to homemade pizza? Well, while cheese and sausage are the most popular pizza toppings where we live, I embrace summer’s plethora of beautiful vegetables (and even fruits!) to create out-of-the-box fresh combinations. And because we have so many gorgeous herbs right outside our door, I generously top my pizzas with fresh basil, mint, and homemade pesto to add a ton of fresh, delicious, flavor.

And speaking of Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove, their appliances couldn’t be more useful for pizza-making. My Sub-Zero refrigerator keeps delicate produce wonderfully fresh. Our Wolf rangetop is perfect for preparing one of my favorite summer pizza toppings: roasted red peppers! I like to char them right over the burner flame. And on the pizza stone setting of my Wolf oven, pizza crust becomes golden and crisp around the edges. Best of all, our Cove dishwasher is roomy enough to wash all the dishes left from preparing and enjoying a meal with guests, so cleanup is a breeze!

Our Homemade Pizza Dough

Of course, there are nights when we pick up pizza dough from the store. But the best pizza nights are the ones when we make the dough ourselves – especially because it means that we work together in the kitchen. Jack (our resident dough man) will mix up the homemade pizza dough while I prep the toppings and the sauce. When we sit down to eat, it’s so fun to enjoy a meal we made together!

Our homemade pizza dough recipe uses a mix of white whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. I like this combination because it adds some whole grain power to the crust without giving it the dense texture and dark flavor of an all-whole wheat dough. Along with the two flours, we use yeast, a little maple syrup, warm water, salt, and olive oil to make a crust that’s crisp on the outside, soft in the middle, and perfectly golden brown.

Homemade Pizza Toppings

As I said above, I live deliciously by eating with the seasons. Homemade pizza is something we enjoy together all year round, but right now, we have an abundance of herbs growing outside our back door. Greenhouse cherry tomatoes are popping up at the farmers markets, too. With these fresh, seasonal ingredients as a starting point, I created three topping combinations:

  • Margherita Pizza – With local cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil from the backyard, this classic pizza is juicy, slightly sweet & totally delicious.
  • Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pizza – Using mint & basil from outside, I blended up a super green pesto that paired perfectly with Wisconsin smoked mozzarella & homemade roasted red peppers. I couldn’t resist adding some extra mint leaves for garnish!
  • Peach & Basil Pizza – I’m head over heels for peaches, so with all the basil outside, I had to make this super simple peach & basil pie. Dollops of the pesto from the red pepper pizza added just the right finishing touch here too!

Our Homemade Pizza Sauce

To support our seasonal toppings, we needed a flavorful sauce. In this homemade pizza recipe, I use pesto as the base of the red pepper pizza, while I simply brush the crust of the peach pizza with olive oil. For a good margherita pizza, though, red sauce is a must.

Our homemade pizza sauce recipe uses simple ingredients: San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of dried oregano. Pulse them together in the food processor, and you’re ready to spread your sauce on your dough! I opt not to cook the sauce before baking so that the freshness of the sweet tomatoes and garlic can really shine. The flavors mellow and meld just the right amount while the pizza is in the oven, so no stovetop time is necessary!

Foolproof Homemade Pizza Recipe Tips

Ready to make pizza? Check out these simple tips first:

  • Get a good pizza pan. The key to a good crust is a good pizza pan. You want one that will cook the crust evenly on all sides, including the bottom. Lots of cooks swear by a pizza stone. To use a pizza stone, preheat it in the oven (on the “stone” setting if you have a Wolf oven) while you stretch and top your dough. Then, quickly slide the assembled pizza onto the stone and transfer both to the oven to bake. The hot stone will help your crust get nice & crisp on the bottom.
  • Keep your dough covered. As your homemade pizza dough rises, make sure to keep it covered. You want to lock moisture in with the dough to keep it soft & pliable. Otherwise, a crusty film will develop around the dough ball, and it will dry out and lose its flexibility.
  • Bake, then garnish! Fresh, delicate toppings like herbs will wilt and lose their flavor in the hot oven, so top them onto your pie right before serving. Along with the fresh basil & mint, I like to add dollops of pesto and a drizzle of olive oil before sitting down to eat.

What to Serve with Homemade Pizza

With a good whole grain crust and lots of veggie toppings, homemade pizza is a filling meal on its own. If we want something on the side, though, my first choice is always a seasonal salad. A simple green salad or arugula salad is an easy, fresh option, but if I’m not tossing greens together, I’ll often use leftover pizza toppings to make a fun, flavorful side salad. Here are some of my favorite salads that make use of toppings that you may have leftover from this homemade pizza recipe:

Happy pizza-making!

Homemade Pizza

Total time

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: Main Dish

  • ¾ cup warm water
  • 1½ teaspoons maple syrup
  • 1 (¼-ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1 cup white whole-wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes (San Marzano tomatoes, preferably)
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 small garlic cloves
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ heaping cup pizza sauce
  • 8 ounces fresh bocconcini mozzarella, sliced
  • ½ cup sliced cherry tomatoes
  • 10 basil leaves
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
  • ½ garlic clove, minced
  • 8 ounces fresh bocconcini mozzarella, sliced
  • 2 ripe peaches, sliced
  • Dollops of pesto
  • 10 basil leaves
  • Pinches red pepper flakes
  • Pesto, for spreading & dolloping
  • 1½ cups grated smoked mozzarella
  • ½ cup sliced roasted red peppers
  • ½ cup mint leaves
  • Pinches red pepper flakes
  1. Make the dough: In a small bowl, stir together the water, maple syrup, and the yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes, until the yeast is foamy.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, place the flours and salt. Mix on medium speed until combined. Add the yeast mixture and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Mix on medium speed until the dough forms into a ball around the hook, 5 to 6 minutes. If the dough is too dry to form a ball, add water ½ tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth ball.
  4. Brush a large bowl with the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil and place the dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Stretch to fit a 14-inch pizza pan. Cover and let the stretched dough rest for 10 minutes.
  6. Bake according to the pizza recipe you are using, typically 10 to 12 minutes in a 500° oven, or until the crust is browned.
  7. Make the sauce (for Margherita Pizza): Place the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, salt, and oregano in a food processor and blend until combined. Makes enough sauce for about 4 pizzas. Store any extra sauce in the fridge or freezer.
  8. Make the pizzas: Preheat the oven to 500°F.
  9. Margherita Pizza: Spread the pizza sauce onto the dough. Top with the fresh mozzarella and tomatoes and bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is browned. Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil leaves and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.
  10. Peach & Basil Pizza: Combine the olive oil and garlic in a small bowl. Brush the garlic oil onto the dough, then top with the fresh mozzarella and peaches. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is browned. Remove from the oven and top with dollops of pesto, fresh basil, and pinches of red pepper flakes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.
  11. Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pizza: Spread a thin layer of pesto onto the dough. Top with the cheese and roasted red peppers. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is browned. Remove from the oven and top with dollops of pesto, the mint leaves, and pinches of red pepper flakes.

3.4.3177

 

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Cheesy Vegetarian

Homity Pie (Cheesy Potato and Leek Pie)

If you’re not familiar with homity pie, let me introduce you:

Homity pie is a traditional British recipe, which is essentially a cheesy potato and leek pie. It’s just the sort of thing we Brits do perfectly – simple ingredients, combined to make incredible comfort food. Say what you like about British food, but it’s hard to argue with buttery sautéed leeks, cheesy crushed potatoes, and a flaky shortcrust pastry case.

A slice of homity pie (cheesy potato and leek pie).

I’m not going to lie, this homity pie is a bit of a labour of love. It’s not a quick weeknight meal like most of my recipes – this cheesy pie is definitely one to save for a special occasion (it would be perfect for a vegetarian Christmas dinner!).

Since cooking this pie takes a bit of time and patience, don’t try to cook it against the clock. Give yourself plenty of leeway – perhaps an afternoon where you’ve not got much else on. That way, it doesn’t matter if the potatoes have to sit for a little while so you can finish cooking the leeks, or if the pastry case is ready to fill before the filling is actually cooked – you can just potter away at your own pace, and it can all be assembled when you’re ready.

Overhead shot of a cheesy pie with a slice pulled away.

⭐ What’s in Homity Pie?

There are three parts to this recipe:

  • garlicky sautéed leeks and onion
  • buttery crushed potatoes (with a cheesy topping)
  • a crispy pastry case

These 3 elements can all be prepared simultaneously, or one at a time, depending on how good you are at multitasking. I’ve written the recipe in 3 separate parts, but if the timings work out (or if you have someone else helping you in the kitchen), you can prepare them all at the same time.

Once all three parts of the recipe are ready, they can be assembled, and baked one last time to complete your cheesy homity pie.

And by the way, I am 100% not a pastry expert. You may think my homity pie looks decidedly… rustic. But I like it that way 😆 If I wanted it to look perfect, I’d have saved myself a couple of hours, and bought one in a shop.

Becca’s Top Tip

Any extra scraps of pastry can be baked on their own, and eaten spread with strawberry jam – my kids love it when I cook with pastry as they always get little jam tarts!

Cheesy Vegetarian Bakes ebook on an ipad screen.

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🥗 Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe. See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.

Ingredients for homity pie laid out with text overlay.
  • leek – It’s hard to get the scale from the picture, but the leek I used was absolutely enormous – a proper monster (probably as big as my forearm!). If your leeks are a more normal size, you’ll probably need at least two.
  • potatoes
  • shortcrust pastry – I used a ready-rolled sheet of shop-bought pastry, as making pastry is not my forte. Feel free to use homemade pastry if you prefer!
  • cheddar cheese – If possible, use freshly grated mature cheddar cheese rather than the pre-grated stuff, as it melts more nicely.
  • onion – I used red onion, but regular onions would also be good.
  • fresh parsley
  • egg
  • garlic – I used pre-minced garlic from a jar because I hate chopping large amounts of fresh garlic.
  • curry powder (optional, but it does add a lovely hint of warmth)

Becca’s Top Tip

If you’re using shop-bought pastry, take it out of the fridge an hour or so before you need to use it. This helps it to soften a little, and means it’s less likely to crack as you unroll it.

📹 Recipe Video





🔪 Equipment

I like to use a loose bottomed springform cake tin for homemade pies. It works really well because:

  • The clip on the side and the loose bottom make it so easy to remove the pie from the tin once it’s finished baking.
  • It gives a nice tall pie, which looks great, and also gives a wonderfully thick layer of filling.
  • The metal heats up nicely and helps to crisp up the pastry.

You can use a shallower pie tin to make homity pie if that’s what you have, but I would always recommend a cake tin if you have one.

Here’s a similar one on Amazon, with great reviews:

8-Inch Springform Cake Tin

8-Inch Springform Cake Tin

I love using a loose-bottomed springform cake tin to make homemade pie. If you’re in the UK or Australia, click ‘Buy on Amazon’ to view a local product.

$14.99

Buy on Amazon

A slice of homity pie with sautéed leeks, potatoes and cheese.

🖨 Printable Instructions

A slice of homity pie.

Print

Homity Pie (Cheesy Potato and Leek Pie)

How to make the classic British recipe homity pie (cheesy potato and leek pie!) – a tasty vegetarian pie made with shortcrust pastry.
Course Main Course
Cuisine British, English
Diet Vegetarian
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 427kcal
Author Becca Heyes

Ingredients

  • 250 g (~ 9 oz) shortcrust pastry
  • 2 Tbsp flour (for dusting only)
  • 2 Tbsp butter, divided
  • 450 g (~ 1 lb) leeks, halved lengthwise then sliced
  • 1 onion (I used red onion), thinly sliced or diced
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon mild curry powder
  • 450 g (~ 1 lb) potatoes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Few sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 egg
  • 150 g (~ 5 oz) mature cheddar cheese, grated (~ 1 1/2 cups when grated)

Instructions

Part 1: The pastry case

  • Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F). Lightly grease an 8 inch springform cake tin. Dust the pastry and work surface with flour, and roll out the pastry until it measures around 12 x 12 inches (even if you’re using pre-rolled pastry, I find it helps to roll it a little thinner).

    Lay the pastry over the cake tin, and gently ease it into the corners, pressing gently (see the video below if you need more guidance). If you end up with any tears, just press the pastry back together. Trim off any extreme excess, but leave an inch or two extra around the edge of the tin, to allow it to shrink a little during baking. Prick the pastry a few times with a fork. Place the pastry case in the oven to blind bake for around 15 minutes.

    Uncooked shortcrust pastry draped over a cake tin.
  • When the pastry case is lightly golden brown, remove it from the oven. If the pastry has puffed up at all, just press it back down gently. When it is cool enough to touch, trim off any excess pastry by running a knife around the top edge of the cake tin.
    A cake tin lined with trimmed, cooked pastry.

Part 2: The garlicky leeks

  • To make the leek mixture, melt 1 Tbsp butter in a large frying pan, and add the sliced leeks and red onion. Cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly, until softened and just starting to brown. Add the minced garlic and curry powder, and cook for a couple more minutes. Set aside to cool for at least 5-10 minutes.
    Sautéed leeks and red onion in a frying pan.
  • When the leek mixture has cooled a little, add the chopped parsley and the egg, and thoroughly mix it in.
    Sautéed leeks and red onion in a frying pan.

Part 3: The buttery potato topping

  • To make the potato topping, cut the potatoes into chunks, and boil them for around 10-15 minutes, until just softened.
    Pieces of potato cooking in a pan of water.
  • Drain the potatoes, and add a Tbsp butter and a little salt. Use a fork to coarsely crush them – don’t make mashed potato, just break down any large chunks.
    Roughly crushed boiled potatoes in a saucepan.

Part 4: Assemble

  • Transfer the leek mixture to the blind baked pastry case, and spread it around into an even layer.
    A pastry case filled with sautéed leeks and red onion.
  • Add the smashed potatoes on top, and distribute them evenly.
    A pastry case topped with crushed potatoes.
  • Finish the pie with a generous amount of grated cheddar cheese.
    A pastry case topped with grated cheese.
  • Bake in the oven for around 30-40 more minutes, until the cheese is golden. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.
    A cheesy pie in a cake tin.
  • Run a knife around the edge of the pastry to ensure it is loosened from the tin, then undo the clip. I like to take the pie out of the cake tin by placing it onto an upturned mug or bowl – the tin will slide downwards and the pie will rise out of the top. Alternatively, you can tip the pie out upside down onto your hand or a plate, then turn it the right way up again.

    Slice to serve.

    A cheesy potato and leek pie with a slice removed.

Video





Notes

The three parts of this recipe can be prepared one at a time. Or, if you’re good at multitasking, they can all be prepared simultaneously to save time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.9g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 23.9g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 408mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 4.1g | Sugar: 4.8g | Calcium: 245mg | Iron: 3mg

💭 Recipe FAQs

Can I prepare this pie in advance?

Yes! The pie is best eaten fresh from the oven. However, if you need to prepare it in advance, it’s best to assemble everything, then keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to do the final bake just before serving.

How should I reheat any leftovers?

The most convenient method is to reheat any leftovers in the microwave – however, this does cause the pastry to lose its crispiness. Alternatively, you can reheat in the oven at about 180°C (Gas Mark 4 / 350°F), but it may dry out a little (make sure you’ve got some gravy to hand!).

How should I serve homity pie?

Homity pie is pretty versatile. It’s great simply served for lunch with some salad. Alternatively, it also makes a great vegetarian main course for a special occasion, e.g. Christmas or Thanksgiving.

🥧 Other Veggie Pie Recipes

Vegetarian Christmas Recipes
A slice of homity pie.

Homity Pie (Cheesy Potato and Leek Pie)

Mushroom pie with chestnuts and a suet crust.

Creamy Mushroom Pie with Chestnuts (and Easy Suet Crust)

A slice of smoked cheese and broccoli tart being cut on a board.

Smoked Cheese and Broccoli Tart

Vegetarian Lentil Sausage Rolls

Vegetarian Lentil Sausage Rolls

The post Homity Pie (Cheesy Potato and Leek Pie) appeared first on Easy Cheesy Vegetarian.

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