Nothing compares to a really good pizza, but the trick is to get the basics right. If you have great dough and a full flavoured, home-made tomato passata, then the rest is easy. There are countless toppings that you can use, or you can keep it to a simple margherita (add mozzarella and a couple of basil leaves), but if the dough and passata are excellent, then you can top with whatever ingredients are seasonal and tasty.
Stansted Farm Shop Pizza Dough
Ingredients:
- 300g Strong Flour
- 300g Plain Flour
- 120g Brown Flour
- 8g Yeast
- 16g Sea Salt
- 400g Water
- 40g Olive Oil
Method:
- Mix all the ingredients into a bowl
- Knead for 10 minutes
- Place in a large bowl (it will double in size) and rub oil over the top of the dough, cover and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Weigh out into 180g portions and form into balls, dust with flour and leave on a tray at room temperature for 30 minutes to prove.
- They are then ready to roll out into pizza bases.
Passata Ingredients
- Two tins of good Italian plum tomatoes (or fresh vine ripened tomatoes if you can get them)
- 10g salt
- 5g sugar
- One Garlic clove
- Basil stems
- 100ml. Red wine vinegar
- 30g Tomato paste
Method:
- Combine all ingredients in a pan and simmer for 2 hours on low heat
- Add water if required
We use a wood fired oven to create serious heat so that the base is crispy, while the toppings and cheese are lightly browned and sizzling as the pizza comes out of the oven. However, you can also use a pizza stone in your oven, or even the solid hob of a range cooker (with the lid down) to get similar results. But you will need to have your oven pre-heated at maximum temperature to get the best results.
Then have fun with the toppings – roasted onions and peppers are delicious, along with seasonal ingredients and different cheeses (Asparagus and goats cheese, or wild mushroom?).
Salami, pepperoni and wafer thin slices of Parma ham that melt on top are excellent as well.