This simple recipe is great as you can choose to make either pizza or focaccia – or both!
Immerse yourself in this weeks Italian themed recipe video and remember to upload your efforts using the ‘Over to You’ section
Ingredients:
• 500g strong white flour
• 1 tsp dried yeast
• Pinch of salt
• 350ml warm water
• 60ml olive oil
• Rosemary (if you have some)
• To make 2 x pizzas:
• 200ml simple tomato sauce
• (see recipe)
• 150g grated cheddar
• Toppings of your choice such as ham, pepper, olives, tuna
What to do:
• Put the flour and yeast in a large mixing bowl and stir.
• Add the salt, water and half (30ml) of the olive oil.
• Hold the bowl with one hand and mix ingredients around with the other for 2-3min until the dough starts to form. Lift the dough onto the work surface. Even though the dough will feel quite soft and wet, don’t add any flour to the surface – it will come together as you work it, trapping the air inside.
• Stretch the front of the dough towards you, then lift back over itself in an arc (to trap the air), still stretching it forwards and sideways and tucking it in around the edges. Keep repeating this sequence. As you work the dough, it will start to come together in your hands. Keep on working until it starts to come cleanly away from the work surface, begins to look silky and feel smooth.
• Flour the work surface lightly, put the dough on top and form into a ball by folding each edge in turn into the centre of the dough and pressing down well with your thumb, rotating as you go. Turn the whole ball over and stretch and tuck the edges under.
• Put the dough in a floured mixing bowl, cover with a tea towel and rest in a draught-free place for around 1hr until roughly double in volume. Preheat your oven to 200°C.
• To make Pizzas: Shape the dough into two flat bases on large baking trays.
• Add the tomato sauce, cheese & toppings. Bake for 10 minutes until golden.
• To make Foccacia Press the dough into a large rectangle and put into a large baking tray, press your fingers into the dough to make small indentations. Brush the dough with some of the olive oil (leave a little to drizzle over after it’s baked) then sprinkle with the coarse sea salt and rosemary. Bake for 20-25 minutes
