Radschool

Newsletter

Vol 5

Page 6

Pizzas and Stuff.

Aunty Freda.

Making a super pizza is not really an art, it just comes with practice and by using good quality materials. Any-one can do it, all you’ve got to remember is the old computer adage, S#@t  in results in sh#@t  out. Like everything else, there are pizzas and there are pizzas as everyone who has tried a $2.95 “frozen pizza” from a supermarket knows only too well. These cost a bit more to make, but they are definitely well worth it.

A major factor in turning out a good tasty pizza is getting the base and the sauce “just right”. 95% of a pizza’s taste comes from the base and the sauce, the toppings are just for looks. Once you have the base and the sauce right you can experiment with toppings, however, do not fall into the old trap of overdoing it. Too much topping confuses the taste, and a thick layer of topping (especially cheese) only acts as an insulator and stops the ingredients in the centre of the pizza from cooking. If you overdo it, the centre of your pizza will be cold. It is better to use small amounts of good quality ingredients than big chunks of “cheap” ingredients. Where possible, avoid the generics.

I’ve been asked to provide recipes for 12inch (30cm) pizzas which can easily be made at home. We’ll start with a favourite of mine—the Aussie Bar-b-q, and in subsequent issues we’ll make the Hawaiian, the Supreme, the Vegetarian and then we’ll try some gourmet pizzas.

First the sauce. Like all good sauces, this one is better if made the day before and allowed to stand in the fridge overnight. This recipe makes quite a bit of sauce but don’t worry as it will keep for some time in the fridge, and you’ll find it an excellent relish on cold meats, in sandwiches and also on dry biscuits. You can always scale down the ingredients proportionally to make less if you wish.

You’ll need:-

• 3 cups Fountain tomato sauce,

• 1 cup honey,

• ½ white onion—finely chopped,

• 1½  tablespoons Tabasco sauce,

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic,

• 2 tablespoons white vinegar,

• ½  cup brown sugar (packed),

• ½  cup Holbrook's Worcestershire sauce,

• ½  cup water.

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring continuously. Thicken with 2 heaped tablespoons of corn flour.

Now the base

My preference is to use “Don Emilio’s” pizza bases. They are available at most major supermarkets, (refrigerated) and can be used straight from the pack. If you can’t get them, you can “make” your own. Most pizza bases you buy at supermarkets are par-baked, and unless “fixed” will taste doughy. Here’s what you do. Buy a good quality base (Tip Top are ok, and come in packs of 2).

Pre-heat your oven to 200⁰C. While the oven is warming, liberally brush the top of your pizza base/s with olive oil, (about 1 dessertspoon), then sprinkle basil onto the oil. Place the base into the hot oven for about 4 minutes, or until the edges just start to brown. Don’t toast it. Remove the base and allow to cool. Now you’re ready to make your pizza. Leave the oven on.

The pizza.

Here’s what you’ll need:-

• The sauce,

• 1 pack “Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus” cheese. (If you can’t get this, combine a grated mixture of 80% mozzarella cheese with 20% cheddar.)

• 130 grams lean round steak—pounded very thin,

• 1 medium mushroom—thinly sliced then cut into ½in pieces,

• 1 medium white onion—cut into thin rings,

• 5 thin slices Hans pizza salami—cut into ¼’s,

• A piece of red capsicum (about 6in x 2in) finely sliced then cut into small pieces.

Finely slice the beef into strips, then cut into small pieces. Place 1 tablespoon of oil, and 1 tablespoon of Teriyaki sauce into a saucepan, heat and stir. Brown the beef, remove and place on paper towel to drain and cool. Lightly brown the onions in the same pan, remove and also cool on paper towel.

Spread about 2 dessertspoons of sauce over the base. Lightly sprinkle cheese over the sauce. Next add the beef, then the onion, then the salami, then the capsicum then the mushroom. Cover with about 1½  handfuls of  cheese, remember, not too much. Place the pizza into the hot oven, and allow to cook for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the base has gone a golden brown.

Remove, slice and enjoy.

We stuffed up! In our last issue, we showed you a photo (left) of who we thought were Mr & Mrs John and Maureen Mathwin. We got the John bit right but the lovely lady with him is his sister Gayle (you kept her well and truly hidden when we were at Laverton mate!!!!!).  Our apologies to all, but it’s an honest mistake, besides, who would have picked this girl as John’s sister, she is after all very good looking.....

Moon landing.

Kids who were born the year that man first walked on the moon have now had their 31st birthday—scary isn’t it!! The scary bit is, it doesn’t seem such a long time ago. Most radio blokes remember the event very well. There was nearly always at least one B&W TV set, in bits, in every radio section, on every base (educational purposes only—of course) and on that day in June in 1969, there would have been at least one of them fixed and switched on, and there would have been a bunch of blokes glued to it. Mainly S/NCO’s though, the troops had to stay on the floor, but radio blokes and the S/NCO’s of other trades all got to see that “One small step” -  privileges of rank I suppose!!

As soon as anyone mentions the event, it brings back vividly clear memories of the time. Everyone can remember where they were and what they were doing when Neil Armstrong poked his nose out of the door of the Eagle. And when you think about it, it was really a stupendous event. Building that thing and then going all that way, then coming back all done with the technology of the 60’s. Remember, those space craft were designed and built the same time we were building HR Holdens, Astor diamond dot radios and Chrysler stereo-grams. It took tons of courage to hop in that little egg thing which was stuck onto the top of the equivalent of a great big bomb and get blasted out into space with the equivalent of an XT computer doing all the work. When you think of the tolerances it was amazing really.

Of course there are those that say it never happened—that it was just American propaganda, but we think it’s a pretty safe bet that it did. Anyone want a quid on……….