Low Calorie Pizza

Have you ever been in the unenviable position of fancying a pizza, but worrying about the calories? The average small pizza can contain up to and including half of your daily recommended calorie intake, but who eats a small pizza these days? I have a solution: a pizza that you have complete control over, for half the calories and half the fat. This delicious meal will put you in the region of a healthy 750 calories!

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 4ozs strong white flour
  • Yeast
  • 500 ml water
  • Tsp salt

Sauce:

  • 150g passata
  • 100ml water
  • Tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Dried herbs
  • Dash of vinegar

Topping:

  • One ball of low-calorie mozarella, finely sliced
  • Toppings of your choice, e.g. sliced onions, sliced mushrooms etc.
  • Garlic powder (optional)

Utensils:

  • Bowl
  • Wooden spoon
  • Metal ovenable tray
  • Saucepan
  • Oil for greasing

Method:

  1. Dissolve the yeast in the water.
  2. Add the flour and salt to a bowl.
  3. Add the yeast water slowly as you stir, until you make a firm dough - remember, you can always add, but you can’t take away!
  4. Flour your work surface to avoid sticking.
  5. Knead for ten minutes.
  6. Place in an oiled bowl and leave to rise for 45 minutes to an hour.
  7. Add the passata, water, salt, sugar, herbs and vinegar to a saucepan.
  8. Simmer gently until the sauce reduces by half and then leave to cool.
  9. Set oven to 230°C (approx. 450°F) and leave to warm.
  10. Grease the metal tray and flatten your risen pizza dough until it covers the tray.
  11. Cover with a towel and leave for 15 minutes.
  12. Spread your tomato sauce onto the base, leaving half an inch around the edge for a generous crust.
  13. Space out the slices of mozarella as even as possible.
  14. Fill in the gaps with your chosen toppings. (Optional: sprinkle with garlic powder as well).
  15. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until browning.

Tips:

  • Though this recipe is tailored for a vegetarian diet, the use of buffalo mozarella and/or meat toppings is possible (though this will significantly affect the calories).
  • To make this recipe vegan, just replace the mozarella with a vegan cheese replacement, as the sauce and dough contain no animal products.
  • When making your pizza, avoid using greasy toppings as this will undo all of the good work you’ve done keeping the fat and calories down. Opt for fresh vegetables or grilled meats instead, as these will provide you with taste, texture and essential vitamins without harming your waistline.

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