Foodie Thursday

Pizza dough base

Adapted from Silvana Franco on Saturday Kitchen

Make your own pizza with this authentic Italian recipe - it uses '00' flour to give the base a lighter, crisper texture.

Makes 6 x 8in. pizza bases

Prep time: Over 2hrs (including rising time)

Cooking time: 10 mins (minimum)

Ingredients

650g/1lb 5oz Italian 00 flour (strong white flour)

7g sachet of easy-blend yeast

2 tsp salt

25ml/1fl oz olive oil

50ml/2fl oz warm milk

325ml/11fl oz warm water

Semolina to help pizza glide from wooden board to oven tray

Method

1. Make the dough: mix the flour, yeast & salt together in a large mixing bowl & stir in the olive oil & milk. Gradually add the water, mixing well to form a soft dough.

2. Turn the dough out on to a floured work surface & knead for about 5 mins, until smooth & elastic. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover with a damp tea towel & leave to rise for about 1½ hours, until doubled in size.

3. When the dough has risen, knock it back, then knead again until smooth, roll into a ball & set aside for 30 mins to 1 hr until risen again.

4. Preheat the oven to its highest setting (no lower than 250-280C), with a baking tray on the middle shelf, ensuring your tray is turned upside down, so there is no lip, & you can slide the pizzas easily in & out of the oven. Getting the baking tray really hot will ensure the base is cooked through.

5. Divide the dough into six balls & roll each out onto a lightly floured work surface until 20cm/8in in diameter.

6. Spread a little passata (or tomato sauce) over each pizza base & top with your favourite toppings.

7. Bake the pizzas in the oven until the bases are crisp & golden-brown around the edges & any cheese on the topping has melted.

Pizza toppings

Adapted from Franco MancaArtisan Pizza by Giuseppe Mascoli & Bridget Hugo (Kyle Books)

Topping 1. Chorizo

Chorizo is a wonderful Iberian pork sausage, made with smoked red peppers (pimento), which comes in both fresh & dried varieties.

Serves 1 (if serving 4, quadruple the quantities)

Prep time 10 mins

Cooking time 10 mins min

Ingredients, per pizza

1 dsp (10ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled & roughly chopped

4 dsp (4x10ml) passata (sieved tomatoes)

about 7 slices chorizo

6-8 chunks cooking chorizo

60g Mozzarella fior di latte, torn into 5 chunks

4 basil leaves, torn

freshly ground black pepper

Method

In a saucepan, heat the oil & fry the garlic over a low heat until lightly golden. Stir in the passata.

Spread the passata & garlic sauce over the base with the back of a metal spoon, be sure to spread your sauce right to the edges. Scatter the chorizo & mozzarella on top.

Bake for no less than 10mins (in your pre-heated oven, turned to the max), or until the base is crisp & golden-brown around the edges & any cheese on the topping has melted.

To serve, scatter the basil leaves on top, with a few grinds of pepper, in one piece or sliced.

Topping 2. Aubergine with Capers, Roasted Garlic & Pine Nuts (Caponata)

This mix of aubergine, capers, garlic & pinenuts is also known as a caponata & is an Italian classic. It is well worth making extra as not only does it make a great pizza topping, but it’s delicious as a salad or accompaniment to baked fish.

Makes enough for 4 pizzas

Prep time 15 mins

Cooking time 10 mins

Ingredients

For the Caponata

4 tsp (4x5ml) capers in salt (or large, good-quality capers in brine)

4 large garlic cloves, whole, unpeeled

4 tsp pine nuts

12 tbsp (12x15ml) extra virgin olive oil

2 large aubergines, cut into 4 thick slices, then cubed

16 basil leaves torn

For 4 Pizzas, quadruple ingredients below

4 dsp (4x10ml) passata

3 basil leaves, torn

60g mozzarella fior di latte, torn into 5 chunks

olive oil, for drizzling

Method

Make the caponata:

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.

Soak the capers in water for ½ hr or so. If using the unsalted variety, simply wash well & dry off.

Roast the garlic in its skin for about 10 mins, or until soft & brown.

Roast the pine nuts in a hot pan, watching carefully that they do not burn. Peel the garlic & reserve.

In a small frying pan, warm the oil over a low heat & fry the capers for about 10 mins.

Add the aubergine & cook until tender.

Take the pan off the heat & add the pine nuts, garlic & basil.

Set aside – the flavours will infuse as the mixture cools.

Spread the passata over the base with the back of a metal spoon.

Distribute 2 tbsp of the caponata evenly over the top & finish with mozzarella & a drizzle of olive oil.

Bake for no less than 10mins (in your pre-heated oven, turned to the max), or until the base is crisp & golden-brown around the edges & the mozzarella has melted.

Once ready, scatter over the basil & serve with an extra spoonful of caponata & chunk of mozzarella on the side.

Topping 3. Pancetta, Caramelised Onion & Blue Cheese

The blue cheese & pancetta work well together & the sweet onion adds complexity. Though a little on the rich side, this pizza might well be recommended as the perfect hangover cure after a big night out.

Serves 1 (if serving 4, quadruple the quantities)

Prep time 15 mins

Cooking time 10 mins

Ingredients

1 dsp extra virgin olive oil

65g blue cheese, broken into 5 chunks

4 slices pancetta

60g mozzarella fior di latte, torn into 5 chunks

For the caramelised onion (makes enough for 4 pizzas)

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 dsp (10ml) olive oil

1 tsp cane sugar

½ tsp vinegar

Method

Make the caramelized onion:

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a low heat & sweat the onion for about 20 mins.

Add a little water if they start to stick (if the onions burn, discard them).

When they have turned a golden colour, stir in the sugar & vinegar & reduce the temperature further. After about 15 mins, the onion should have caramelised.

Drizzle the base with olive oil & distribute a quarter of the caramelised onion on top, then add the blue cheese, pancetta & mozzarella.

Bake for no less than 10mins (in your pre-heated oven, turned to the max), or until the base is crisp & golden-brown around the edges & any cheese on the topping has melted.

Nigel’s Top Tips

You can freeze the dough after its risen twice. (Divide into 6 balls & wrap each one in cling film. Defrost overnight in the fridge before proceeding with the recipe). Alternatively, you can keep the fresh dough in the fridge for a couple of days.

Have a thin wooden chopping board (or pala) to transfer the pizza to the oven. Sprinkle the board with semolina flour to help make the pizza dough more transferable.

Too much topping & the base will go soggy. Too little & the pizza will dry out.