by Gordon Hamilton

Created on: January 29, 2009

If it is by any stretch of the imagination possible to extend sympathy to a foodstuff then I do so to pizza. It has somehow come to be thought of in conjunction with other fast foods as being also a junk food, detrimental to our health and if not to be avoided at all costs, certainly not to be consumed on a regular basis.

Why should this be so? Pizza is traditionally hand-prepared, simple dough, baked in stone ovens before being spread thinly with homemade tomato sauce, perhaps with a few herbs in same, and topped with the freshest of vegetables, meats and cheeses in an endless variety of permutations.

Let us consider each of those points in turn. The traditional methods of making pizza dough have sadly died out in a lot of the larger chain providers of pizza, be that fresh or frozen. The dough may be "contaminated" with artificial preservatives and the pizza bases made by machine rather than by hand. Similarly the tomato sauce may be artificially produced or flavoured with a whole host of noxious chemicals. It is probably the toppings, however, which are the main culprit in pizza's fall from grace in respect of how it is viewed in a culinary sense. Lavish handfuls of full fat cheese over processed meats and vegetables are not overly conducive to anything being labelled a healthy meal.

So how can we turn back the clock in a sense and restore the reputation of pizza as a healthy meal? The first step is to make it ourselves at home. We may not fancy the process of making the dough for the base from scratch so it is probably acceptable to buy the base pre-made. If you are lucky enough to have such as an Italian delicatessen in your locale, you may be able to purchase same fresh and know that you are getting the finest quality item. If not, you will simply have to explore the options in your own area.

It could not be simpler to make our own tomato sauce. Simply peel and de-seed a large batch of tomatoes and roughly chop them. Add them to a large pan and slowly heat them up. The water in the tomatoes eliminates the need for any oil. Let them simmer away gently for half an hour or more until they have broken down in to a lush sauce. Add any fresh herbs add this stage, such as oregano or basil.

Spread our pizza base thinly with tomato sauce and add our toppings. This is where we have to be especially careful. Purchase the low fat variety of whatever cheese you wish to use and go easy with it. Add plenty of fresh vegetables instead, such as sliced mushroom, tomato or bell peppers. Make the pizza look attractive before sprinkling on your modest amount of cheese and putting it in the oven to cook.

Following these steps will significantly improve the nutritional value of the pizza you feed to your family - and hopefully repair the tarnished reputation of this delicious food offering.

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