Clockwise from the top: Green pesto, caramelised onions, cherry tomatoes and pine nuts; Caramelised onions, fig and walnut with rocket and balsamic vinegar; Potato, rosemary and sea salt; Tomato, pumpkin and olives with cashew cream and micro greens
Proof that pizza is awesome without cheese!
MAKES 6 SMALL OR 3 LARGE THIN-CRUST PIZZAS; 4 SMALL OR 2 LARGE PIZZAS IF YOU LIKE YOUR CRUST A LITTLE THICKER
SHOPPING LIST
375 g (13 oz/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for rolling
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons or 1 packet dried yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for the bowl
250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) lukewarm water
For the toppings:
see Nut roast
YOU NEED TO…
Place the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and use a fork to combine. Add the olive oil and water, a little at a time, to the bowl and stir everything together until it forms a loose ball.
Sprinkle some flour on a large, clean surface. Dump the dough mixture onto the flour and knead for a couple of minutes, until you have one nice big smooth ball. If it’s not behaving, let it rest a minute or two while you wash and dry the bowl and then come back to it.
Place a little bit of olive oil in the bottom of the bowl, plop the ball in there, cover with a clean tea towel (dish towel) and leave it somewhere warmish until it has doubled in size. This usually takes an hour but it can take up to 2, depending on where you live. Use this time to prep any ingredients and toppings and don’t clean up the flour mess unless you really need to, as you will need it again later.
Once the dough has doubled, punch it to get the air out and then dump it back out onto the floured counter. Divide into the number of pizzas you wish to make and then form each of these pieces into an approximate ball shape. Cover with the tea towel and allow to sit for about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas 7).
On the same floury surface, roll your dough out, base by base. I like to press the ball flat, sprinkle a little flour on top, roll over it a couple of times with a rolling pin, flip it over, roll some more in the opposite direction then swiftly but gently transfer to a tray.
Saving any greens for when the pizza is out of the oven, add the toppings of your choice and bake the pizza for 10–12 minutes or until the crust is crisp and golden but not burnt (unless burnt is your jam, in which case go ahead and leave it for a little longer until it gets all burnt and blistery). Remove the pizza from the oven, add any salady greens and additional sauces – and eat!
ABOUT THE TOPPINGS
This is where you can really let loose, either using up what’s in the fridge or creating toppings especially for your pizzas. I like to keep it quite minimal, hence I prefer to make lots of small pizzas rather than one big one. Some favourite combos are (as pictured overleaf):
— Potato, rosemary and sea salt. This really is the best pizza in the whole damn land. Brush the dough with some olive oil, cover with thin slices of boiled potato, sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt and go to heaven.
— Green Pesto, Caramelised Onions, cherry tomatoes and pine nuts.
— Caramelised Onions, fig and walnut with rocket (arugula) and balsamic vinegar.
— Tomato, pumpkin (squash) and olives with Cashew Cream and microgreens.
— Sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes.
