Pizza bianca

Think of this as an extraordinary flatbread rather than a pizza. It’s rolled out slightly thicker than a conventional pizza dough and is soft and airy in the middle. Don’t be fooled by the simple ingredients: it’s a heavenly combination and, served straight from the oven, is beautiful with soups, salads and dips.

MAKES 4

PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINUTES

PLUS RESTING TIME

COOKING TIME: 5–10 MINUTES PER PIZZA

250g (9oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting

250g (9oz) strong white bread flour

1 teaspoon instant dried yeast

2 teaspoons salt

320ml (11floz) warm water

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

polenta (cornmeal), for dusting

rosemary leaves and sea salt, to sprinkle

Combine the flours, yeast, salt and warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer or a mixing bowl to form a dough. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Using a dough hook, knead for 5–8 minutes, or turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in a warm place for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F/Gas 8). If you own a pizza stone or heatproof tile that will fit inside the oven, now is the time to put it in to heat up.

Knock back the dough with a punch. Roll out a quarter of the dough on a lightly floured surface until it forms a circle about 1cm (½in) thick. Dust a baking tray with polenta and lay the pizza on it. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt. Carefully put the tray in the oven – onto the hot pizza stone or tile, if using – and cook for a few minutes. The timing will very much depend on your oven but it shouldn’t be more than 8–10 minutes. While the pizza is cooking, prepare the next pizza and bake each one in quick succession. Serve each cooked pizza hot and straight out of the oven.