
Maybe I’m showing my age or a bit of my introvert, but for me, there aren’t many things better than a movie & pizza night. Sometimes we make the dough ourselves; sometimes we use bought ones or flat breads. Sometimes we make the tomato sauce ourselves; sometimes we use a jar of bought sauce. Sometimes we each make our own; sometimes a generous soul offers to make everyones. However it’s made, without fail, we declare it the best pizza of all time and we bunker down on the couch as a family to lose ourselves in the screen for a few hours.
Here is one of our favourite recipes:
Pizza is just one of those wonderful recipes that is so easy to adapt according to what’s in season. It’s summer, so this recipe reflects that but in winter, we like roasted sweet potato, broccoli, chorizo with blobs of pesto and feta.
If you have time to make this sauce, it really is worth it. You can make double and store it in the freezer for next time (up to 4 months).
Ingredients
- 200g cherry tomatoes, cut in quarters
- 2 red onions -sliced and caramelized
- Handful of mushrooms, sauteed
- 4 large rashers smoked nitrate free bacon, sliced roughly
- 2 cups grated mozzarella
- 100g finely grated Parmesan
- One large handful of rocket for garnish ( you could also use a handful of leafy green herbs)
- A little sea salt and black pepper
- Olive oil
Tomato Paste:
- 50g semi sundried tomatoes
- 150g tomato paste
- 2 tsp Urban Forager Beef Stock Concentrate
Dough:
- 750g white spelt flour (and a little extra for dusting)
- 1 tablespoon of golden castor sugar
- 2 x 7g pack dry yeast
- 1 tbsp salt
- 625 ml lukewarm water
Instructions
- Pile the flour and the salt onto a clean surface and make a well in the centre
- Add the yeast and sugar to the warm water, mix together, then pour into the well
- Slowly with your fingers using a circular motion bring in the flour from the inside of the well
- Continue to mix with your fingers, bringing the flour into the centre until the dough comes together and becomes quite firm
- Flour your hands and bring the dough into a ball
- Knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until it becomes smooth and elastic
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place to prove for 30- 45 minutes or until doubled in size
- Once the dough has doubled in size knock the air out by bashing and stretching the dough, then shape it into 4 roughly formed circles
- Pile the formed dough bases on top of each other, placing a piece of baking paper in between each one
- Allow to prove again until they have doubled in size once more
Preheat the oven or BBQ to 250C - Place all the ingredients for the tomato paste into a blender until you have a smooth paste
- When you are ready to cook, apply the toppings by spreading the tomato paste over the pizza base.
- Scatter ½ cup of mozzarella, some bacon, mushrooms, caramelized onions and a few pieces of cherry tomato onto the pizza, then add a little grated parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil
- Place one or two of the pizzas ( depending on the size of your oven or BBQ) on a lightly floured baking tray and pop into the hot oven or BBQ for about 7-10 minutes or until the pizzas are golden and crispy
- When they are done remove from to a wire rack
- Season with salt and pepper and garnish with rocket or some fresh leafy green herbs
- Cut into wedges and serve hot or cold!
NOTES
For a vegetarian version, swap Veggie stock for the beef stock and leave out the bacon. For a vegan version, swap vegan cheese for the mozzarella & parmesan.
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