Mini Pizza Cups

Although in our childhood we were familiar with the word "Pizza" and "Pasta", the Kolkatans became familiar with the taste of Pizza with the launch of Dominos. Later came Pizza Hut and other ventures. We hardly knew about the differences about American and Italian pizzas and was totally ignorant about the sauces or toppings or their names. Also being from a middle-class family those dishes and places were of-course considered to be posh and simply non-necessary. The time I am talking about is the late 90s and early 2000, when internet was available only in cafes, mobile phones were still costly and college students still preferred college street and coffee house for their "adda" than going to KFC or Mc Donalds or Inox.

On such a time, one day my maternal uncle prepared all the kids and took us to the Esplanade Dominos. We looked at the long menu card, flipped over and chose from a number of pizzas of which we hardly understood anythinng and then took the pizza home. It was a large one, so each of us had one slices. In the box there were sachets of oregano, salt and red pepper flakes. I collected them and stored them inside my pencil box, ignorant of the fact that they were for sprinkling on the pizzas. They stayed there for a long time until one of them gave in and my box was filled with weird smells. Sadly I threw away the remnants of my only Pizza memory and cleaned up my box. After leaving school I went to Pizza Hut or Dominos or KFC a lot of time with my friends, but none of them can be compared to the excitement and happiness of my first visit.

So, I made this mini pizza cups, which are super cute to look at, and can be yummy appetizers or starters for a party!!! Making a pizza dough is the secret weapon of making a good crusty pizza. You may not succeed the first time, but keep trying and it will eventually turn out perfect. In case you are unable to make a pizza dough or in a hurry, just buy a ready made pizza base for the recipe.

Mini Pizza Cups
Serves 15-18 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1 tsp instant yeast
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• salt
• a pinch of sugar
• 2 tbsp pizza sauce
• 250 gm of grates mozzarella cheese
• some basil leaves

Method:

• First of all make the pizza dough. First in a small bowl put the instant yeast with some water and sugar. Leave it for 5 minutes. It will get activated.
• Take the flour in a large bowl and add the activated yeast, salt and olive oil. Start to make a dough. Add water as required. Kneed for 15 minutes or until you can make a firm and soft dough, which is not sticky.
• Cover this with a damp cloth and let it rest for 1 hour. 
• After 1 hour take the oversize dough and kneed again for 2 minutes. Make 15-18 balls out of it.
• Take your chopper board or roller board and with the help of some more plain flour and roller pin roll the balls in small rotis or tortillas. They should not be too thin or too thick.
• Take a muffin tray and grease the muffin tins with melted butter. Then place each of the toritllas inside the muffin tins. Cut or fold the edges of the tortillas so that they do not stick to each other.
• Bake the pan in the oven for 3 minutes on 300F.
• After 3 minutes take the pan out and let it cool down.
• Fill each of the cups half with grated mozzarella. Then pour in 1 tsp of the pizza sauce. Cover and fill in the cups with some more grated mozzarella and sprinkle some basil leaves and pizza sauce on top.
• Repeat this process with the other cups and bake again for 3-4 minutes on 300F or until the cheese melts and become bubbly.
• Serve immediately with the sauce or dip of your choice.