gorgonzola & rocket pizza

Serves 2

Preparation time 25 minutes, plus proving

Cooking time 35 minutes

250 g (8 oz) strong white flour, plus extra for dusting

2½ teaspoons easy-blend dried yeast

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for oiling

125 ml (4 fl oz) hand-hot water

Topping

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

400 g (13 oz) can chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste

2 tablespoons basil pesto

1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs

250 g (8 oz) Gorgonzola cheese

handful of rocket

balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

Put the flour, yeast, salt and oil in a bowl and add the measurement water. Mix with a round-bladed knife to a dough, adding a dash more water if the mixture feels dry. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled in size.

Heat the oil in a frying pan on the hob and gently fry the onion for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, pesto and herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes until thickened.

Oil a pizza tray lightly. Tip the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and roll out into a round slightly smaller than the tray. Transfer to the tray and spread with the tomato sauce. Crumble the Gorgonzola over the sauce. Place the tray on the upper rack of the halogen oven.

Set the temperature to 200°C (392°F) and cook for 15 minutes. Serve the pizza cut into slices, scattered with the rocket and drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

For goats’ cheese & red onion pizza, make the pizza dough as above. Scatter 2 sliced red onions in the bottom of a shallow roasting tin and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Place on the upper rack of the halogen oven and set the temperature to 200°C (392°F). Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring once, until the onions are soft. Stir in 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary. Roll out the dough as above and scatter with the onions, 200 g (7 oz) sliced goats’ cheese and 50 g (2 oz) grated Parmesan cheese. Season lightly and cook as above.