Cheap Movie Night

Photo from Casablanca

There's no reason not to be social even though you're saving your cash. Actually, when saving it's even more important to be around friends and family to avoid depression. It will get your mind off your financial situation and distract you from the fact that you can't buy whatever you like. Here's how you can have a great movie experience at a very low cost. All it requires is a little planning.


Start out with reading the TV guide - preferably online. Find a movie you'd like to see that starts at a reasonable time and that you think your friends or family would enjoy too. Invite people over for a movie night. People love this sort of stuff and often they'll ask if they should bring anything. Seize the opportunity and ask them to bring soft drinks or maybe a little beer if you're that kind of a crowd. The second person to ask you can ask to bring some snacks.


The plan is starting to form. Next step is to take 0,3 liters / 1/2 pint / 1,3 cups of olive oil if you have it - it has to be extra virgin, I'm afraid. Put a few red chillies in there, either chopped fresh ones or dried ones. Leave it in an airtight container until your movie night. I'll get back to what it's for later!


So what are you going to serve? You need to serve something now that your friend's are bringing drinks and snacks! Fear not! Pizza is the perfect Movie Food - and it doesn't have to cost much. Your friends and family will love this home made Margherita! And this is how you make it - the recipe is very detailed so people with little cooking experience can do it too:


Pizza Margherita (for 4 people):



50 grams / 2 oz fresh yeast or 1 satchel of dry yeast
0,4 liters / just under 3/4 pint / 1,5 cups of water
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 liter / 1,5 pints / just under 4 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 jar of tomato puree
3 - 3 fresh mozzarella cheese or other yellow hard cheese (Mozarella gives the best result)
Basil - preferably fresh but dried will do
Salt and pepper


This what you do:



Stir the yeast into the water you have brought to body temperature. If you're using dry yeast use slightly warmer water and leave the mixture to rest for 10 minutes. Mix the rest of the ingredients in and work the dough well until it's smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic and let it rise for 30 to 40 minutes. Not too cold as that will kill the yeast and leave your dough a disaster. Too warm can do the same.




Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celcius / 425 degrees Fahrenheit / Gas 7. Dust the working surface with flour and remove the dough from the bowl. Roll it into 8 thin discs or 4 thin squares. If you don't have a rolling pin an empty wine bottle will suffice. Just remember to wash it properly first. Put baking paper and 2 discs or 1 square on your oven tray. It can be a good idea to transfer the dough to the tray before you're finished rolling it and then roll it thin and nice on the tray. Let the bases rise for 8 - 10 minutes. Meanwhile smear a layer of tomato puree on the bases and tear the mozzarella on top - or grate cheese over. Sprinkle torn basil leaves or dried basil and salt and pepper on top. Bake for 10 minutes or until the crust is tanned and the cheese starts turning brown.


Now the finishing touch - your "secret ingredient" so to say. It won't be secret for long though as you're putting it on the table - the olive oil you put red chillies in a couple of days ago. Taste it before your guests arrive. It's supposed to be a little hot so you can either put in more oil or some dried chilli until your happy with it. This makes your margherita into something special and glamorous. The chilli flavoured olive oil I first tasted in Milan so it is an actual Italian custom to let your guests drizzle it over their pizza - one slice at a time. Encourage them to try it! the pizza can be a little bland without it so I really recommend it. You can buy finished chilli flavoured olive oil but it's not that easy to come across. And the point is not spending more than you absolutely need to, right?


The last thing you need to make a movie night perfect is popcorn. Buy the pop at home variety - loads of popcorn for your money. The microwave variety is more expensive than the casserole one. The casserole type isn't hard to make either. Wait for a commercial break. Heat some butter in a big casserole and drop 3 popcorns in there. Don't forget the lid! Turn the heat up high and wait for the corns to pop! When they do, pour in a cup of popcorn, put the lid back on and shake the whole thing. Turn the heat down a little. Shake it a couple of more times to avoid it burning. Soon it'l be popping and popping. Salt it and serve it warm in big bowls.


Tell me how it went!