COZY RECIPES #4 - ZERO WASTE PIZZA

Let’s be honest: pizza is great! It is in fact a main element in our weekly menu. When we decided to refuse packagings, we had to come up with a solution, since we couldn’t live without homemade pizza. Here is our secret.

Zero waste does not necessarily mean sacrifice. You simply need to look for alternatives. For us, it was crystal clear that we could not do without pizza. Takeaway or delivery were no option, because this usually means cardboard packaging. Even though this material is recyclable, so not necessarily "bad trash", eating in a restaurant every other day would become quite expensive over time.

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!

Switching from frozen to homemade zero waste pizza had us face the task of turning our backs on packaged ready-made dough from the cooling shelf as well as any ingredient that would bring plastic into our kitchen. And you know what? It literally paid off! Eating food that you have prepared yourself protects both, the environment and your wallet and it simply tastes way better. Would you like to know how it works? Here you go:

1) Ingredients without waste

We started to look for zero waste alternatives for all the ingredients we usually use on our pizzas. Vegetables were easy to find, and we replaced grated cheese by chunks of cheese from the market that we could buy with our own containers and grate ourselves at home. The mozzarella was a bit of a challenge, but we eventually found one on the market that fits our needs. As for the tomato sauce, we don’t have a completely packageless option yet. For now, we buy it in glass jars that we reuse later to store homemade applesauce or other food, so it is no direct trash. The next step will be to cook our own tomato sauce. The only item that can’t be found easily is a zero waste pizza dough. So we simply make it ourselves!

2) Delicious dough

Self-made pizza dough is not only easy to prepare (once you have a little practice), it is also far more satisfying since you can choose the flour and thickness that you prefer. For starters, fill a glass with 150ml of lukewarm water, stir in 5g of fresh yeast (for example from the bakery) and let it rest. Put 300g of flour (we recommend spelt flour) in a large bowl and add a pinch of salt and 3 tablespoons of olive oil to it.

Then gradually pour in the water-yeast-mix while stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir until a paste is obtained that does no longer stick to the bowl (you may add a bit of flour to make it easier). Let the dough rest for at least 1 hour, covering the bowl with a cloth and putting it in a warm place.

After that, sprinkle your work surface with a bit of flour and place the pizza dough on it. Then work and knead it until it's smooth. Give your pizza a nice shape and put it on the baking tray. Congratulations, you have prepared the ground!

3) Pizza of your dreams

Once the dough is ready, spread tomato sauce on top, then thin slices of mozzarella. Following your own inspiration and taste, add any ingredient that you fancy and finish with grated cheese and oregano. You may go experimental and crazy with it. I once made two thin doughs that I laid on top of each other after stuffing cheese between them. It was definitely a challenge to eat it up, but it was a fine monster pizza and I don’t regret a thing.

While decorating the pizza of your dreams, preheat your oven to 230°C (air circulation) and put your artwork in as soon as you are satisfied with the result. Cook the pizza for around 20 minutes until the crust is nice and crispy. Bon appétit!

The Chef's Secrets

• If you want your dough to be extra fluffy, smash it on the work surface several times before letting it rest. This tiny "act of violence" lets the yeast work even more effectively.

• A genius alternative for baking paper are baking mats made of silicone. Not only do they bring sustainability to your kitchen, thanks to them your pizza will also be way crispier!