Goat’s cheese and pesto pizzette
Pizzette al caprino
Goat’s cheese has become as fashionable in Italy as it is in Britain and the US. The variety to use is the one with a snowy white rind that will hold its shape in the oven – just cut the pizza bases to fit the sliced cheese. Coupled with freshly made pesto, this is a marriage made in heaven. The pizzette are perfect served with drinks, as they can be assembled ahead of time and cooked at the last moment. If you make them beforehand, prick the bases all over to prevent them from rising too much, add the toppings, then cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
½ recipe Basic Pizza Dough (page 12), making just 1 ball of dough
6 tablespoons Classic Pesto Genovese (page 20)
a small goat’s cheese log with rind (300 g/10 oz.)
4 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced
extra virgin olive oil, to glaze
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a round cookie cutter, 7 cm/3 inches (optional)
a baking sheet, lightly oiled
Makes 12 pizzette (7 cm/3 inches)
Preheat the oven to 220˚C (425˚F) Gas 7.
Uncover the dough, punch out the air and roll or pull very thinly on a well-floured surface. Using an upturned glass or a cookie cutter, stamp out twelve 7-cm/3-inch circles and lay on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Alternatively, cut the circles of dough to match the size of your goat cheese log. Spread the pizzette with a little pesto.
Slice the goat’s cheese into 12 slices and lay a slice on top of the pesto. Arrange a couple of slices of garlic on the goat’s cheese and brush with olive oil. Season and bake for 8–10 minutes or until the cheese is beginning to melt. Serve immediately.
’Nduja and black olive tapenade pizzette
Pizzette con ’nduja e tapenade di olive nere
The name ‘tapenade’ comes from the Provençal word tapena meaning ‘capers’ and is a thick sauce or spread made from capers, garlic and anchovies. This recipe adds rich dark olives and charred sweet (bell) pepper for a more intense, smoky flavour that is delicious with fiery ’nduja. Spread the rest on focaccia or add more oil for a dipping sauce.
½ recipe Basic Pizza Dough (page 12), making just 1 ball of dough
1 small sweet red (bell) pepper
3 garlic cloves, skins on
2–3 tablespoons salted capers
225 g/8 oz. black wrinkly olives, stoned/pitted
12 boneless anchovy fillets
about 150 ml/⅔ cup mild olive oil fresh lemon juice, to taste
45 ml/3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
250–300 g/9–10½ oz. ’nduja (spicy Calabrian sausage)
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
extra virgin olive oil, to glaze
fresh oregano, to garnish
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a round cookie cutter, 7 cm/3 inches (optional)
a baking sheet, lightly oiled
Makes 12 pizzette (7 cm/3 inches)
Preheat the oven to 220˚C (425˚F) Gas 7.
First make the tapenade. Put the whole (bell) pepper and garlic cloves under a hot grill/broiler and grill/broil for about 15 minutes, turning until completely charred all over. Cool, rub off the skin (do not wash) and remove the stalk and seeds from the pepper. Peel the skin off the garlic. Rinse the capers and drain. Put all these in a food processor with the olives and anchovies and process until roughly chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil until you have a fairly smooth dark paste (process less if you prefer it rougher). Season with lemon juice and black pepper. Stir in the parsley. Store in a jar, covered with a layer of olive oil to exclude the air, for up to 1 month.
Uncover the dough, punch out the air and roll or pull very thinly on a well-floured surface. Using an upturned glass or a cookie cutter, stamp out twelve 7-cm/3-inch circles and lay on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Spread the pizzette with a little black olive tapenade and top with a heaped teaspoon of ’nduja. Push in halved cherry tomatoes then brush with olive oil. Season if necessary and bake for 8–10 minutes. Serve immediately with oregano.
Sardenaira
This amazingly savoury Ligurian focaccia is topped with a concentrated sauce of tomatoes, salted anchovies or salted sardines (hence the name) and whole melting cloves of garlic. It is perfect for outdoor eating, served in thin slices with a cold glass of wine or beer.
25 g/1 cake compressed fresh yeast, 1 tablespoon/1 packet active dry yeast, or 2 teaspoons fast-action dried yeast
½ teaspoon sugar
150 ml/⅔ cup warm milk
500 g/4¼ cups Italian ‘00’ flour or cake flour
100 ml/7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
90 ml/6 tablespoons hand-hot water
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 kg/2¼ lb. fresh, very ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 kg/2¼ lb. (drained weight) canned whole tomatoes
100 g/3½ oz. anchovies or sardines in salt
12 or more whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
100 g/3½ oz. or more small stoned/pitted black Ligurian olives
1 tablespoon dried oregano
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh oregano, to garnish
a rectangular baking pan, 28 x 43 cm/11 x 15 inches and approximately 2.5 cm/1 inch deep, oiled
Serves 10
In a large bowl, cream the compressed yeast with the sugar and beat in the warm milk. Leave for 10 minutes until frothy. For other yeasts, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Sift the flour with 1 teaspoon salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the yeast mixture, 60 ml/4 tablespoons of the olive oil and the hand-hot water. Mix together with a round-bladed knife, then use your hands until the dough comes together. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface, wash and dry your hands, then knead briskly for 10–15 minutes until smooth, shiny and elastic. Try not to add any extra flour at this stage – a wetter dough is better. If you feel the dough is sticky, flour your hands and not the dough. The dough should be quite soft. If it is really too soft to handle, knead in a little more flour.
To test if the dough is ready, roll it into a fat sausage, take each end in either hand, lift the dough up and pull and stretch the dough outward, gently wiggling it up and down – it should stretch out quite easily. If it doesn’t, it needs more kneading. Shape into a neat ball. Put it in an oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draught-free place until doubled in size – about 1½ hours.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes until beginning to soften and colour slightly. Add the tomatoes and cook gently until collapsed and very thick. Meanwhile, split the anchovies, remove the backbone, rinse and roughly chop. Stir into the sauce and season to taste.
Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F) Gas 4. Knock back the dough, knead lightly, then stretch and pat it out into the prepared pan, pushing the dough well up the edges. Spread the sauce on top of the crust, cover with the whole garlic cloves and the olives, then sprinkle with the oregano. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake for about 1 hour until the bread is golden. Serve sliced – hot, warm or cold, sprinkled with fresh oregano.
Little fried Neapolitan pizzas
Pizzelle aperte
These crisp little circles of fried pizza dough topped with a blob of tomato sauce, cool white mozzarella and fresh basil, are often served in bars with your aperitivi. Although best served straight from the pan, you can make the puffy pizza crusts beforehand, let them cool and store in an airtight container. To reheat, put them in a preheated oven at 180˚C (350˚F) Gas 4 for 2–3 minutes, then add the toppings and serve. A wok makes a perfect fryer for these.
½ recipe Basic Pizza Dough (page 12), making just 1 ball of dough
½ recipe Pizzaiola Sauce (page 19)
1 buffalo mozzarella, squeezed of excess water, then cut into tiny sticks
12 fresh basil leaves
vegetable or olive oil, for deep-frying
a round cookie cutter, 5 cm/2 inches (optional)
a wok or deep fat fryer
Makes about 12 pizzas (5 cm/2 inches)
Uncover the dough, punch out the air and roll or pull very thinly on a well-floured surface. Using an upturned glass or a cookie cutter, stamp out 12 or more 5-cm/2-inch circles.
Heat the oil in a wok or deep fat fryer to 190˚C (375˚F) or until a tiny piece of dough sizzles instantly when dropped in. Fry the pizzas, 4 at a time, for 2–3 minutes or until puffed and golden. You will have to turn them now and again so that they colour evenly. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Top with a little pizzaiola sauce, a stick of mozzarella and a basil leaf. Serve immediately while still hot.
Little stuffed focaccia muffins
Focaccette ripiene
Almost like little muffins, these tiny treats hide a surprise when you bite into them – a tomato bathed in pesto and melting mozzarella. Make them in advance and reheat in a warm oven.
½ recipe Deep-pan Focaccia (page 100), making just 1 ball of dough, risen twice but uncooked
8 tablespoons Classic Pesto Genovese (page 20)
24 small cherry tomatoes
1 cow’s milk mozzarella (fior di latte), squeezed of excess water, then diced
sprigs of thyme or rosemary, to decorate
coarse sea salt
a round cookie cutter, 7 cm/3 inches (optional)
2 x 12-hole mini-muffin pans, oiled
Makes about 24 muffins
Preheat the oven to 200˚C (400˚F) Gas 6.
Uncover the dough, punch out the air and divide the dough into 4. Roll or pull each piece as thinly as you can on a well-floured work surface. Using an upturned glass or a cookie cutter, stamp out 6 little circles. Place a scant teaspoon of pesto in the middle of each circle, add a little mozzarella, then top with a cherry tomato. Bring the sides up and over the tomato and pinch to seal.
Put the muffins, sealed-side down, in the prepared mini-muffin pans. Brush the tops with olive oil, push in a herb sprig and sprinkle with salt.
Bake in the oven for 10–15 minutes until risen and cooked through. Tip out of the pans and eat warm, as a snack, with drinks.
Panzerotti
Panzerotti or ‘little fat bellies’ from the Italian pancia, meaning ‘tummy,’ are a great favourite in southern Italian pizzerias. The filling is usually some type of salami and cheese and they can be quite large. They puff up like swollen bellies when deep-fried.
½ recipe Basic Pizza Dough (page 12), making just 1 ball of dough
100 g/3½ oz. smoked mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
100g/3½ oz. salame piccante or chorizo, diced
200 g/¾ cup ricotta
60 g/⅔ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
vegetable or olive oil, for deep-frying
sea salt
a round cookie cutter, 7 cm/3 inches (optional)
a fluted cookie cutter, 7 cm/3 inches
a wok or deep fat fryer
Makes about 15 panzerotti
Mix together the mozzarella, salami, ricotta, Parmesan and basil. Season.
Uncover the dough, punch out the air and roll or pull very thinly. Using an upturned glass or a cookie cutter, stamp out about 15 little circles.
Place large spoonfuls of the filling onto one half of each dough circle. Fold the other half over, pinching well to seal, then neaten the edges with a fluted cookie cutter.
Heat the oil to 190˚C (375˚F) Gas 5 in the wok or deep fat fryer and deep-fry the panzerotti in batches until puffed, crisp and brown. Flip them over to cook both sides evenly. Drain on paper towels and season with salt. Serve immediately while still warm and gooey.
Crispy pizza sheets
Pizza croccante
I bought a factory-produced version of this in Tuscany and it inspired me to bake my own. It’s so easy to make that you quickly get into the rhythm of preparing it until it becomes second nature.
1 recipe Basic Pizza Dough (page 12) or any leftover dough
2 teaspoons dried rosemary (optional)
extra virgin olive oil, to glaze
coarse sea salt
2 large, heavy baking sheets, lightly oiled
Makes about 6 large sheets
Preheat the oven to 230˚C (450˚F) Gas 8, or as hot as you can.
Uncover the dough, punch out the air and knead in the dried rosemary (if using). Divide the dough into 6 and roll or pull it directly onto the prepared baking sheets. Press it out with your fingers as large and flat as you can. The dough should be so thin you can almost see through it – and it doesn’t have to be even. Brush it lightly with olive oil and scatter with salt. Bake for about 8 minutes until golden, lightly bubbled, dry and crisp. Shatter the sheets like poppadoms to serve.
‘Roof tiles’
Ciappe
In Ligurian dialect, a ciappa is a thin, flat stone that has been used for baking flatbreads since the dawn of time but can also mean a slate roof tile. Nowadays these stones are used to cook meat and fish at the table.
1 tablespoon sea salt
100 ml/⅓ cup warm water
250 g/1¼ cups Italian ‘0’ or ‘00’ flour, or unbleached plain/all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large, heavy baking sheets
Makes 8–10 tiles
Mix the salt with the warm water until dissolved. Sift the flour into a medium bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the salty water and olive oil. Mix well, then knead the dough lightly for a couple of minutes until it is smooth. The dough should be firmer than that of pizza. Wrap it in clingfilm/plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F) Gas 4.
Divide the dough into 8–10 pieces. Roll or pull each piece into a long oval. Roll them as thinly as you can and keep the work surface well floured to prevent sticking. Alternatively you can use a pasta machine to roll them out if you are making a large quantity.
Lay the tiles on the baking sheets and prick all over with a fork with large tines. Make sure they are liberally peppered with holes. Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes or until evenly pale golden and dried out. Let cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Anchovy Twists
Ficattole
For all you anchovy-lovers out there, these fit the bill. Transform leftover pizza dough (or use fresh dough) by flavouring it with anchovies. The combination of these simple anchovy twists and a glass of chilled white wine truly transports you to a sunny terrace in southern Italy.
½ recipe Basic Pizza Dough (page 12), making just 1 ball of dough
50 g/1¾ oz. canned anchovies in oil, drained and chopped
vegetable or olive oil, for deep-frying
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a wok or deep fat fryer
Makes 15–20 twists
Uncover the dough, punch out the air and knead in the anchovies. Roll or pull thinly and cut into long rectangles with a crinkled pastry wheel or a sharp knife. Make a slash in the middle of each rectangle, bring one end up and push through the slit, pulling it through loosely to make a roughly twisted shape.
Heat the oil in the wok or deep fat fryer to 190˚C (375˚F) Gas 5 and fry the twists in batches until golden and crisp. Drain well on paper towels, then sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm. You can store these in an airtight container and reheat them for a couple of minutes in a warm oven when you are ready to serve them.
Peppered breadsticks
Grissini pepato
We all know the paper packets containing a couple of breadsticks which many Italian restaurants serve, but these are a more sophisticated version and can be made using leftover pizza dough. Just knead in the black pepper or any other flavouring that suits your fancy.
½ recipe Basic Pizza Dough (page 12), making just 1 ball of dough
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
25 g/2 tablespoons butter, melted
Makes about 20 breadsticks
Make the pizza dough according to the recipe on page 12, adding the cracked pepper to the ingredients. Mix the olive oil and melted butter together. Before the first rising, roll or pull the dough into a thin rectangle, brush all over with the olive oil and butter mixture and roll up loosely like a jelly roll. Flatten with the palm of your hand, then lift it onto a floured work surface, cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200˚C (400˚F) Gas 6.
Flatten the risen dough with your hand again to knock out the air then roll out to a thickness of 5 mm/¼ inch. Cut into long, thin strips and twist. Lay these onto a baking sheet and mist with water. Bake for 5 minutes, mist again, then bake for a further 10–15 minutes until golden and crisp. Keep an eye on them while they are baking as they can burn.
Parmesan fritters
Chizze
Here’s another quick snack made from leftover pizza dough and often served in bars. All you need is some fresh Parmesan cheese and you’ve got a delicious appetite-whetter. Just don’t eat too many!
½ recipe Basic Pizza Dough
(page 12) or Sicilian Pizza Dough
(page 16), making just 1 ball of dough
50 g/½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to dust
vegetable or olive oil, for deep-frying
a round cookie cutter (optional)
a wok or deep fat fryer
Makes about 16 fritters
Uncover the dough, punch out the air and roll or pull as thinly as you can, flouring the surface well. Using an upturned glass or a cookie cutter, stamp out as many circles as you can – you can make them any size. Place a little mound of Parmesan in the centre of each one and fold in half, pinching the edges together.
Heat the oil in the wok or deep fat fryer to 190˚C (375˚F) Gas 5. A piece of stale bread dropped in should sizzle and turn golden in a few seconds. Fry in batches until puffed and golden on both sides. Drain well on paper towels, then toss the fritters in some grated Parmesan. Serve hot.
Pancetta and fennel puffs
Coccoli
These coccoli (‘little darlings!’) are a type of savoury doughnut or bomboloni flavoured with pancetta. I add lightly crushed fennel seeds, a flavouring that is very popular in Tuscany, especially with cured pork. They are deep-fried until crisp on the outside and soft inside and can be kept warm in the oven. Make sure they are piping hot and sprinkled liberally with sea salt when you serve them. Grind fennel seeds over them for a special finishing touch. These are especially wonderful if you have the chance to fry them in pure olive oil. The dough can also be rolled out thinly and cut into squares, then fried.
200 ml/¾ cup milk
50 g/2 oz. pure lard, roughly chopped
37 g/1½ cakes compressed fresh yeast or 1 packet fast-action dried yeast
400 g/3½ cups Italian ‘0’ or ‘00’ flour, or unbleached all-purpose flour
50 g/2 oz. pancetta, finely diced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
vegetable or olive oil, for deep-frying
sea salt
a wok or deep-fat fryer
Makes about 30–40 puffs
Put the milk and lard in a saucepan and heat gently until the lard has melted. Don’t let the milk get too hot. Crumble in the compressed yeast (if using) and beat until dissolved. Sift the flour and a good pinch of salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre. If you are using fast-action yeast, stir it into the flour now. Pour in the warm milk mixture and add the pancetta and fennel seeds. Mix to a soft dough, adding more flour, if necessary. Form into a ball, cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Heat the oil in a wok or deep fat fryer to 180˚C (350˚F). A piece of stale bread dropped in should sizzle and turn golden in a few seconds.
Uncover the dough, punch out the air and knead for 1 minute. Pull off small walnut-sized pieces of dough, about 2 cm/¾ inch and roll into rough balls. Fry in batches for about 2–3 minutes until pale brown and puffy. Drain well and tip onto paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve while still hot.
