Easy, Yummy Hostel Dinners: Almost Instant Pizza

Pizza isn’t usually my go to, but since so many people around me were cooking up frozen pizzas in the hostel ovens, I started to get a craving. But not for frozen pizza.

I wanted a yummy pizza that didn’t taste like cardboard. I also wanted it to be easy. No rising time. No yeast. No mess. I needed the hostel version of homemade pizza. And, of course, it had to be yummy!

Enter: my new tried and true almost instant pizza. By almost instant, I mean about 20 minutes – which is basically instantaneous when it comes to pizza from scratch. It’s also ridiculously easy with very little clean up, as long as you don’t mind getting your hands dirty.

To make 1 serving:

Dough:

• 1 to 1.25 cups of self-rising flour
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup water
• plus about half a tablespoon more of oil (used to shape the dough)

Sauce: (2 options)

• store bought pizza sauce (I like to get it in individual packages so I don’t have to make pizzas multiple nights in a row if I don’t want to)
• OR, 1 can of diced tomatoes + basil (fresh or dried seasoning) – use about 1/4 to 1/3 of the can of tomatoes for a 1 pizza

Toppings: (Obviously you can choose whatever toppings you like, but these are my favorite combos)

• 1/4 zucchini in slices
• ham, sliced into half-inch squares
• 1/4 cup corn kernels (from a can is easy)
• mozzarella cheese
• parmesan cheese
• drizzle with pesto

Or

• 1/4 zucchini in slices
• 6-7 giant pepperoni slices, cut in half or quarters
• mozzerella cheese
• parmesan cheese

And when I’m feeling fancy, I love to crack an egg in the middle of the pizza before I bake it. If you’ve never had egg on pizza–you’re missing out.

Tools:

• oven (not all hostels have them, so it’s always good to check)
• baking tray
• mixing bowl

Start by preheating the oven to 428 fahrenheit or 220 celsius. Leave the oven tray in there while the oven is heating.

I prep all my toppings next. Slice the zucchini, open the can of diced tomatoes or the packet of pizza sauce, slice the ham or pepperoni. Have it all ready to go.

For the dough: add the flour and oil to a mixing bowl and pour in 1/4 of water. Mix together. I like to use a fork first, then switch to a hand. If it’s too dry, add a bit more water. Mix/knead in the bowl until it all comes together and is a little bit sticky.

Then, I pour a tiny bit of oil into my palm, rub my hands together, and start squishing the dough into a flat circle, working it between my palms and pulling at it too. This means I don’t get the counter or a rolling pin dirty, but you can go this route, if you prefer. When you pull out the over tray, set it on a safe surface (remember, it’s hot) and press the pizza dough into the tray. You can use this to also make the dough thinner, stretch wider. My pizza usually ends up about 14-16 inches the long way and 8-9 the short way – basically a large ovular rectangle stretching across a basic oven tray.

Now smear the pizza sauce or canned diced tomatoes onto the dough with a spoon. Add your toppings. Put a handful or two of mozzarella cheese on top. I try to get my sauce and toppings and cheese as close to the edge as possible. This isn’t artisanal wood-fired crust so it’s definitely not the star of the show.

If using an egg, crack it in the middle of the pizza. If using pesto, drizzle or spoon on a few globs. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Slid the tray into the oven (middle rack) and set your timer for 6 minutes. Depending on the oven (because every hostel oven is different) it can be ready in as short as 6 minutes, or take up to 12 for the cheese to be bubbling and the egg to be cooked. Ideally, the egg is still a little bit runny, but (again, depending on the oven) this might take a little bit of trial of error.

Pull out the oven tray, let it cool for a minute or two. Then slice it up and enjoy!