CHOCOLATE PIZZA

/ Makes 4

For dessert at his restaurant La Notizia in Naples, Enzo Coccia served chocolate pizza, which went down extremely well with all the children eating there. The dough should be slightly thicker than a normal pizza base before cooking as you need to slice it horizontally to put the filling in. It’s the same dough recipe as for the savoury pizza here so you could leave it for the 10-hour prove, but I don’t think the kids will notice if they can’t wait that long!

PREP: 20 minutes

PROVE: 45 minutes

BAKE: 7–9 minutes per pizza

for the pizza dough:

300g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon instant yeast

180ml cold water

olive oil, for greasing

for the filling:

200g chocolate spread

equipment:

silicone baking mat (if you don’t have silicone, a heavily floured baking sheet will also work) and a pizza stone or flat baking tray

1. To make the pizza dough, place the flour in a bowl and add the salt to one side and the yeast to the other. Gradually add the water and mix to form a soft dough. You may not need to use all the water.
2. Turn the dough out on to an oiled work surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cut off a small piece of the dough and stretch part of it as thinly as you can. If you can see the shadow of your fingers through the dough (the light should shine through the dough like a windowpane) without it tearing, it is ready to prove. Shape the dough into a ball, place in a bowl, cover and leave to rest for 45 minutes.
3. Stretch or roll the dough into four pitta shapes. Make sure they’re not too thin as you need to slice them once cooked, but also not too thick as you want them to puff up and cook through. Place one base on a piece of silicone so it can be easily transferred to the oven later.
4. Place a pizza stone or flat baking tray on the top shelf of your oven and heat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7. Place the dough base on the hot tray and bake for 7 to 9 minutes. The base should be cooked through, risen and just beginning to colour. Repeat with the remaining pizzas.
5. Once each pizza is cooked, put it on to a chopping board and insert a knife into the side. Carefully slice the pizza, but not all the way through, so you can flip open the top. Whilst the base is still warm, spread with chocolate spread, then close the lid back down and cut into pieces. Serve straight away.