Freezer-Friendly Mini Peri Peri Pizzas

Stock up your freezer with these scrumptious homemade pizzas! The crust is topped with tomato sauce, hot peri peri chicken pieces, chopped capsicum, black olives, sliced red onions and loads of cheese that is baked to a bubbly goodness. The spicy peri peri flavour makes these mini treats very moreish. 

Who doesn't love pizza, right? But store-bought frozen pizzas are not the most tasty. Today, I am bringing you a fool-proof recipe that will help you achieve the perfect freezer-friendly pizza crust. And to give it all a nice little twist, we'll turn our regular pizzas into Peri Peri ones. If you like spice, this one's for you. And if you do not like spice, then just substitute the peri peri chicken with your preferred meat topping. 

Make these mini pizzas ahead of time! They are perfect for days when you have no idea what to cook or don't feel like working in the kitchen. Plus, they are ideal for Ramadan food preparation. Your Iftaris will be so much less work with these in the freezer. And if you don't wan to wait to have them, check out my notes on how to bake in one go.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DOUGH

• 1 - 1 1/4 cups warm water warm water
• 2 tsp (7g) instant yeast
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 cups (440g) all-purpose flour

FOR THE CHICKEN

• 500g boneless chicken (cut in small pieces)
• 4 tbsp Nando's Hot Peri Peri Sauce (divided)
• 2 tbsp Nando's Extra Hot Peri Peri Sauce
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp grounded black pepper

FOR THE TOPPINGS
everything according to taste:

• pizza sauce
• dried oregano
• capsicum (cubed)
• black olives (sliced)
• red onions (sliced)
• mozzarella cheese (shredded)

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE DOUGH

1. Add everything to your bowl of stand mixer. Add the water gradually and start beating using your dough hook. Keep beating for around 5 mins until the dough is not sticking and is very smooth and soft. I used approximately 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of warm water. You can also knead the dough by hand.
2. Lightly grease the same bowl and the dough with oil. Cover with a cling wrap or foil and leave to rise at a warm place for at least 2 hours.

FOR THE CHICKEN

1. Marinate the chicken with all the mentioned ingredients for at least 30 mins. Only use 2 tbsp of Nando's Hot Peri Peri Sauce and reserve the other 2 tbsp for later. You can use any Nando's Peri Peri Sauce and add it according to your preference. I like to mix both the Hot and Extra Hot because I find the Extra Hot alone to be way to spicy which kills the real flavour.
2. Then pan-fry or grill your chicken pieces in 2 tablespoons of oil until cooked through and slightly charred. In the end add the remaining 2 tbsp of Hot Peri Peri Sauce. Mix and set aside to cool.

FOR PREPPING PIZZA CRUST

1. Preheat the oven to 250 C.
2. When your dough has risen take it out on a clean surface and punch to release air bubbles. This dough makes two 30 cm pizzas or 20 mini pizzas. You can even freeze the remaining dough to use later, check instructions here.
3. Divide the dough into two and roll each out into a 30 cm circle. Using any cutter, bowl or round object to cut out circles. I cut out 12 cm circles.
4. Spread the circles on your baking tray with spaces between them. If you have only one baking tray, put half and cover the rest with a clean cloth.

FOR PAR-BAKING THE PIZZAS

1. Brush olive oil on the tops and pierce each circle with a fork multiple times. This is to prevent the crusts from puffing up.
2. Bake for 3-5 minutes only. In order to freeze them they should only be par-baked. A good indication is that the dough will be dry when touched but still white in colour. At that point, take out and let them cool.

FOR TOPPING THE PIZZAS

1. Brush some olive oil again and slather some pizza sauce on each. I used ready-made sauce. Then add a generous amount of cheese. I use more cheese at the bottom than on top.
2. Drizzle around a teaspoon of Nando's Hot Peri Peri Sauce on top.
3. Then add your toppings; chicken, olives, capsicum and red onions. Finally sprinkle all pizzas with dried oregano.
4. Do not add the final layer of cheese on the top yet as it might stick and get messy when frozen.

FOR FREEZING THE PIZZAS

1. Carefully wrap each mini pizza with a cling and then aluminium foil. The double-wrapping prevents the pizzas from drying out.
2. Then put the pizzas in the freezer. You can store them like this for up to 2 months.

FOR BAKING THE PIZZAS FROM FROZEN

1. When you are ready to eat them, take them out from the freezer and let sit on countertop for 15-20 mins.
2. Meanwhile preheat the oven at 250 C.
3. Take off the cling and foil and sprinkle some cheese on the pizzas.
4. Put them on your baking tray and bake for 10-15 mins until the cheese has melted and turned golden.
5. Enjoy hot!!

NOTES

• This recipe makes 20 mini pizzas of diameter 13cm.
• The pizza dough recipe is adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.
• When using instant yeast I do not proof it beforehand with sugar and water. I add it immediately to my mixture.
• Put the baking tray in the middle rack.
• If don't want to freeze these pizzas, then skip the par-baking and freezing steps. After cutting out circles, brush with olive oil, add your toppings and bake for 15-20 mins on 250 C.

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