Chicken Pepperoni Pizza

Ingredients:

The Crust

5 tsp active dry yeast
2 1/4 cups warm water
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cups bread flour, plus some extra as needed
1 tbsp salt
Plain flour and semolina flour for rolling and shaping

The Topping

2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups instant spaghetti sauce
200gm sliced chicken pepperoni or salami
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
2 medium sized portobello mushroom - cleaned and sliced
1 red capsicum - chopped

Instructions:

By hand:

1. In a very large bowl, dissolve yeast & sugar in the warm water and let stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
2. Add oil, flour and salt. Stir with your hand until a rough ball forms, don't worry if it is still sticking to your hands at this stage. Using a plastic pastry scraper, scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Add up to a cup of extra flour while kneading to prevent the dough from sticking.

By stand mixer:

1. Or...if you are already fit enough :) and do not need extra exercise, dissolve the yeast in a mixing bowl of a stand mixer and let stand until foamy, add the oil, flour and salt and place the bowl on the mixer with a dough hook. Knead on low speed for 10 minutes.  Add up to a cup of flour while kneading so the dough will not be sticking from the sides of the bowl.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl. Form it into a rough ball, transfer it into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1.5 - 2 hours. Beware...the bowl must be big enough!
3. Preheat the oven 250C for at least 30 minutes before baking.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough half . Gently shape each half into a loose ball. Cover loosely with the plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.
5. Lightly dust 1 dough ball with plain flour and roll it into a round 30cm in diameter or a rectangle
6. Sprinkle 2 tbsp semolina flour on your baking tray and transfer the dough onto the tray.
7. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil.
8. Spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce over the surface. Sprinkle half of the cheddar cheese. Scatter half of the pepperoni and vegetables. Top with 1 cup mozzarella.
9. Bake the pizza for 10-15 minutes until crisp and golden.  Repeat with the other half dough.