14.7.11

Pizza














Probably no greater foodstuff. Well maybe there is, I once ate fillet steak with a piece of foie gras on top. It came with chips.

1 kg 00 flour or strong bread flour
1 tablespoon of sea salt
2 1/2 teaspoons of dried yeast
650 ml of warm water
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of sugar


Sieve together the flour and salt, i know its a pain, sieving a kilo of flour is messy, but it makes a difference. Also make sure the salt is superfine, and don't put all the flour into your sieve at once. Just saying.

In a very very large bowl or just right there on the worktop, pile it all up and make a well.
Add the yeast to the water and sugar and oil. Allow to stand for a bit. Make sure the yeast is in date. Just saying.
Pour the liquid into the well, and start to incorporate, and then knead until boredom is reached.
Place in a bowl to rise for 1 hour.

Knock back, ponder why you bothered to let it rise if you are just going to knock the air right out of it again. It's science.

Divide into 8 pieces = 8 pizza bases.

Stretch out by hand, debate whether you might like to be a pizzaiola in Napoli, then remember you watched La Camorra last night and think better of it.

Top with smashed roast tomato and pecorino.
Cook in an unpreheated oven at 200.
Turn up oven to 250 to speed up cooking.
Run into garden to stop exuberant hound from jumping over a 6ft fence.
Return to slightly burnt pizza.

Try again the next night with Ricotta, asparagus and lemon peel.

My pizzas are oblong because i don't seem to have a giant baking sheet.

I have more dough, topping suggestions if you please.

5 comments:

flwrjane said...

Well the obvious, ripe tomato slices,fresh mozzarella, splash of olive oil and a shower of basil when it comes out of the oven.

And a slick of basil pesto on the bottom if you've made some.Yum.

I cant wait to read toppings from the others.

Remember when you asked for our favorite sandwiches?

xo J.

Mrs Beard said...

Pears, Gruyere and Gorgonzola with a twist of black pepper and a splosh of extra virgin.

Used to be served up at my favourite place on Columbia Road.
Sadly, it's off the menu now.

Excellent dough-making skills!

Mammamsterdam said...

Gorgonzola and ricotta.
just olive oil, rosemary and salt for a bred-like thin pizza to eat with salad, or shrimp cocktail or prosciutto di parma (San Daniele is better though)

Becca said...

Garlic butter.

Nuff said.

Catherine LES VIGNETTES said...

Excellent ! Something to do with my kids during the hols