Can You Make Pizza in an Aga Cooker?

Pizza is one of those universally loved foods that so many couldn’t live without. So what do you do when you get a new cooker? In particular, an Aga cooker; can you still make a great pizza in an Aga cooker? In this article we show you how you can make the perfect pizza in an Aga cooker with a few great recipes to get you started.

So, can you make pizza in an Aga cooker? Yes, pizza can be cooked to perfection when baked on the floor of the roasting oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the base is crisp and golden. Both homemade and pre-bought pizzas can be cooked this way.

Read on to learn more about Aga pizzas as well as for a few great Aga pizza recipes.

CAN YOU COOK PIZZA IN AN AGA COOKER?

Whether it’s a quick, frozen weekday meal or a homemade extravaganza, it couldn’t be easier to make the perfect pizza in an Aga cooker. You could even meet halfway with a shop-bought base, but add your own toppings!

Pizza is best cooked on the floor of the roasting oven and takes less than 15 minutes to cook through to a crispy base with bubbling cheese on top. Below, we provide you with a few ways to achieve the perfect Aga pizza, no matter your cooking abilities or preferences.

HOW DO YOU MAKE AGA PIZZA?

When it comes to an Aga pizza it can be as simple as your favourite frozen pizza, a shop-bought base with your own toppings, or a completely homemade pizza. Below, we talk you through how to achieve the perfect pizza every time.

First, let’s start with a couple of pizza base recipes.

Aga Pizza Recipe – Pizza Base

There are hundreds of pizza base recipes floating around the internet, each claiming to be the best. We can’t claim that these recipes are, indeed, the best out there, but they’re a great starting point if you’ve never made pizza dough before. Plus, if you’re a complete baking beginner, we even offer a no-yeast option to make the process a whole lot easier.

Yeast Option

[Makes 2 pizza bases]

Ingredients:

• 400 g plain flour, plus extra to dust
• 1 X 7 g sachet fast action dried yeast
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 225 ml water
• 1 tbsp cornmeal, polenta or semolina, to roll out

Method:

1. If using, place your pizza stone or equivalent on the floor of the roasting oven to heat up.
2. Mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar together. Make a well in the centre, add the oil, then add about 225 ml of water to bring the mixture together as a dough.
3. Tip the mixture out onto a clean surface and knead for 1 minute until smooth
4. Leave to rest whilst you prepare your toppings
5. Once your toppings are ready, shape the dough – roll out onto a lightly floured surface to about 25 cm in diameter. Stretch and press the dough until it’s around 30 cm in diameter, indenting a thicker crust around the edges. By this point, the middle should be around 5 mm thick and the edges should be around 1 cm deep.
6. Place your shaped base onto a bed of polenta, semolina or cornmeal so that the dough will move freely in the oven, then add your sauce and toppings.
7. Rest for 10-15 minutes so that the dough begins to rise then bake for 10-15 minutes until the base is golden and crisp.

No Yeast Option

[Makes 2 pizza bases]

Ingredients:

• 350 g plain flour
• 2 ¾ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oil
• 170 ml water

Method:

1. If using, place your pizza stone or equivalent on the floor of the roasting oven to heat up.
2. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt, then add the oil and 170 ml of water and stir until it forms a ball. If stiff, add more water. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 3-4 minutes. Cut into 2 balls then flatten out into pizza-shaped discs.
4. Add your sauce and toppings, place the pizza onto the heated pizza stone or equivalent (bake-o-glide is a great non-stick tool if not using a pizza stone), then bake for 10-15 minutes until the base is golden and crisp.

Our Favourite Toppings

After sorting your pizza base, you then need to think about what toppings you want on your Aga pizza; will you go for a classic Margherita or completely rebel and make up your own?

First things first, though. You need a sauce, and what better place to start than with a simple, classic pizza sauce.

Simple Pizza Sauce

[Makes 4-6 portions]

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 fat garlic clove, crushed
• 2 x 400 g cans chopped tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp brown sugar

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan on the simmering plate, then add the onions and a generous pinch of salt. Fry gently for 12-15 minutes, or until softened and turning translucent. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute.
2. Add in the tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano and sugar, then simmer uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until suitably thickened and reduced.
3. If you prefer a smooth sauce, blitz with a stick blender.

A few Topping Ideas

Whether you’re after a gourmet delight or something to satisfy the kids, pizza toppings are endless, but here a few that piqued our attention that we’re itching to try out:

• Roast pumpkin and chorizo
• Tandoori chicken pizza
• Breakfast pizza
• Meatball and pepperoni pizza
• Roast pepper, anchovy and ricotta pizza

Shop-Bought or Frozen Pizza

If you don’t quite fancy making a homemade pizza, shop-bought or frozen pizza can also be cooked in an Aga cooker very easily. Simply bake on the floor of the roasting oven until your base is golden and crisp. This may take around 15 minutes.

RECONDITIONED AGA COOKERS AT RANGE EXCHANGE

If you’re a pizza-lover and just wanted to know whether or not you could still cook your favourite food if you switched to an Aga cooker, you’ll be glad to know that you can. And, not only that, but an Aga cooker makes the best, crispy base you could imagine.

Take a look at our range of reconditioned Aga cookers today. Whether you’re looking for a modern Total Control model, or a more traditional Gas Aga Cooker, we’ve got you covered.