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Time to try some veg pizza action
Clare Latimer rolls out a great Italian recipe that’s healthy and great fun to make too
I HAVE been a bit beefed up recently so this week I am going vegetarian but you can always add some salami or ham on the pizza if you wish. Pizzas are always fun to make and it is a good recipe for encouraging children to cook, as they love watching the dough rise and fall.
If time is against you then you can always use rolled out puff pastry and if you require a lighter dish then choose Filo pastry and use about eight layers of the pastry.
Italian Style Pizza
I have given a suggestion of toppings but you can change them to suit your tastes better.
Perhaps some courgettes, various types of mushrooms or a change of cheese such as Tallegio instead of Mozzarella or indulge and have both.
Ingredients
Serves 4
For the dough:
7g packet active dried yeast;
450g white flour;
One tsp salt;
Olive oil;
One desp oregano leaves, fresh or dried;
One tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese;
Two tbsp cornmeal.
For the topping:
One red onion, peeled and sliced;
One clove garlic, peeled and crushed;
One small aubergine, thinly sliced and rubbed with oil;
Salt and freshly ground black pepper;
One tbsp tomato puree;
900g plum tomatoes, skinned and sliced;
Handful fresh basil leaves, torn;
2 x 125g Mozzarella cheese, drained and sliced;
Few black olives, sliced.
Method
To make the dough, dissolve the yeast in six tablespoons lukewarm water in a small bowl, and leave for 10 minutes.
Put the flour and salt into a large bowl then pour in the yeast mixture and 200ml warm water. Stir well, first with a wooden spoon and then with your hands. Knead to soft dough, put it in an oiled bowl and leave covered in a warm place for about three hours.
Preheat the oven 230°C 450°F Gas mark 8.
Sprinkle the oregano leaves, cornmeal and Parmesan onto a work surface and knead the risen dough in this mixture back to its original size.
Place the dough on a generously oiled baking tray and, using your hands, stretch it into a thin 30cm circle, slightly risen at the sides.
To make the topping, sprinkle the aubergine slices with salt and leave for a few minutes.
Rinse and dry with kitchen paper.
Fry the onion and garlic in about four tablespoons of olive oil for five minutes then add the aubergine and continue frying over a low heat until the aubergine is beginning to soften, adding more oil if necessary.
Brush dough base with olive oil and then spread over the tomato puree.
Spoon on the onion mixture, top with the slices of tomato and then sprinkle with the basil leaves.
Arrange the slices of Mozzarella on top and garnish with the black olives.
Cook the pizza in the oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
If the edges start to brown too fast, reduce the oven temperature a little. Serve immediately.
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