Potato Pizza

Recipe adapted from Sydney's Bourke Street Bakery: The Ultimate Baking Companion

Ingredients:
600g bread flour
15g sea salt
10g dried yeast
15g milk
410g water
20g olive oil

Topping:
1 large Desire potato
salt & pepper
chopped rosemary

• Combine everything in a mixing bowl.  Using a hook attachment, mix on low speed for about 3 minutes.  Then increase the speed to high and mix for another 7 minutes or until dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and has a silky, smooth texture.  Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to prove until doubled in size.
• Lightly grease two 36 x 26 cm rectangular oven trays.  Divide the dough into two portions and use a rolling pin, roll each dough out to create two 40 x 30 cm rectangles, about 3mm thick. (Do this in stages to allow the dough to rest and relax between rolls). 
• Gently transfer to the prepared trays, trimming the sides to fit the tray and set aside for about 15 minutes or until risen by half.
• Meanwhile, dissolve about 2 tsp salt in about 1 litre of lukewarm water. Using a mandolin slice the potatoes very thinly and put directly into the salted water, which will prevent oxidation and also helps to soften them. Soak for about 30 - 60 minutes. Then pat dry on paper towels.
• Using a fork prick the base of the pizza, spread garlic oil over the base and sprinkle with cheese.  Arrange potato slices over the base and sprinkle with chopped rosemary, salt, pepper and cheese.
• Cook in a preheated oven at 220°C for about 10 minutes.

Potato Pizza

 

Dough: (Makes one approximately 30cm pizza)

230g bread flour

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp instant dried yeast

120g water

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

• Combine bread flour, sugar and salt together in the mixing bowl with the dough hook attached.  Then add in yeast.  Blend to combine.  Gradually add in water and knead until fully incorporated.
• Pour in olive oil and knead until a smooth and elastic dough is formed.  
• Cover the bowl with cling wrap and leave it in a warm place until doubled in size.
• Punch down the dough to expel trapped air.  (At this stage, the dough can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight or frozen.  Bring back to room temperature before continuing).
• Place the dough on a baking tray lined with baking paper, cover and leave in a draught-free spot until it risen by half.  The dough is now ready to use.

To make garlic confit:  [Cook under low heat until garlic has softened]

100g garlic cloves, with skin intact

A sprig of rosemary

70ml olive oil

Toppings:

1 large Desiree potato -  cut into wafer-thin slices

2 sprigs of sage

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

grated Mozzarella cheese
grated Parmesan cheese

• Preheat oven to 200 deg C.
• Roll out the pizza dough into a 30 cm circle.  
• Place dough onto pizza pan and prick all over with a fork.
• Mash the softened garlic with a fork.  Brush garlic oil and spread mashed garlic over the base of the dough.  Scatter cheeses all over.
• Place potato slices over the cheeses, taking care not to overlap.  Scatter sage leaves over the potato slices and drizzle more garlic oil.  Top with more cheeses.   Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Bake for about 10 minutes or until the base is crisp and golden.
• Remove pizza from the oven.  Serve hot.

Pita Bread

Inspired by Tyler Florence's recipe


Ingredients:

1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1/2 tsp salt
280g bread flour
1 tsp olive oil
 

• Put yeast,  sugar and warm water in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Let it stand until foamy. Stir in salt and olive oil. 
• Pour yeast mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attached.  Turn mixer on to low speed and add in flour gradually.  Mix for about 5 - 6  minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
• Rub the inside of a large bowl with olive oil.  Roll the dough around the bowl to coat it with oil, then place in the bowl.  Cover and leave to rise until doubled in size (it will take about 1 - 1 1/2 hours).
• Place a pizza stone in the oven.  Preheat the oven (and stone) to 170 deg C.
• Punch down the dough. Divide the dough into balls and keep them lightly floured and covered.  Allow the balls of dough to rest for 15 minutes.
• Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a circle about 4mm thick. Cover the discs as you roll them out.
• Put the pita rounds on the hot pizza stone and bake for about 4 minutes or until bread puffs up like a balloon and is light golden. 
• Remove bread from the oven and cool them on a rack.  
• The bread will deflate once they are cool, leaving a pocket in the centre.  To keep bread soft, wrap them in a kitchen towel.
• Serve with dips, eg. Eggplant dip

Salami-Tuna Pizza

Pizza Dough

Ingredients:  Makes 160g dough - enough for one 30cm pizza

1 tsp dried active yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

100ml warm water

2 tsp olive oil

160g OO strong flour, sifted

• Put yeast, salt, sugar and warm water in a small bowl and whisk until combined.
• Gradually whisk in the olive oil, then leave in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until the mixture starts to bubble.
• Place flour into the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attached.  Turn mixer on to low speed and add in yeast mixture.  Mix for about 5 - 6  minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
• Rub the inside of a large bowl with olive oil.  Roll the dough around the bowl to coat it with oil, then place in the bowl.  Cover with a clean cloth and leave to rise until doubled in size (it will take about 1 - 1 1/2 hours).
• Punch down the dough to expel trapped air.  **
• Place the dough on a baking tray, cover and set aside for 15 minutes, or until risen by half again.  
• The dough is now ready to use.

** At this stage, the dough can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight or frozen.  Bring back to room temperature before continuing.

Ingredients for toppings:

semolina (for dusting) or you can use flour

garlic oil (enough for brushing the pizza base)

150g thinly sliced hot salami, cut into strips
1 can sweet chilli tuna, drained

grated mozzarella cheese

grated parmesan cheese
fresh rosemary sprigs

• Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
• Lightly dust your workbench with semolina, then roll out the dough into a 30cm round.  
• Place pizza on a tray and prick all over with a fork.  Spread garlic oil over the base and scatter with parmesan cheese, tuna and salami, mozzarella cheese and rosemary sprigs,  in that order.
• Place the pizza on the preheated stone and cook for about 6 minutes or until the base is golden and crisp.
• Remove from the oven, and cut into 8 wedges.  

Margherita Pizza

Adapted from the world's most treasured pizza recipe shared by John Lanzafame, the Australia's foremost pizza chef and World Pizza Champion in his Pizza modo mio.  According to John's pizza philosophy - less is more.  Concentrate on one flavour rather than a bunch of different ones. 

Pizza Dough

Ingredients:  Makes 160g dough - enough for one 30cm pizza

1 tsp dried active yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

100ml warm water

2 tsp olive oil

160g OO strong flour, sifted

• Put yeast, salt, sugar and warm water in a small bowl and whisk until combined.
• Gradually whisk in the olive oil, then leave in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until the mixture starts to bubble.
• Place flour into the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attached.  Turn mixer on to low speed and add in yeast mixture.  Mix for about 5 - 6  minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
• Rub the inside of a large bowl with olive oil.  Roll the dough around the bowl to coat it with oil, then place in the bowl.  Cover with a clean cloth and leave to rise until doubled in size (it will take about 1 - 1 1/2 hours).
• Punch down the dough to expel trapped air.  **
• Place the dough on a baking tray, cover and set aside for 15 minutes, or until risen by half again.  
• The dough is now ready to use.

** At this stage, the dough can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight or frozen.  Bring back to room temperature before continuing.

Ingredients for Margherita toppings:

semolina (for dusting) or you can use flour

garlic oil (enough for brushing the pizza base)

basil leaves

100g proscuitto, tear into pieces

grated mozzarella cheese

grated parmesan cheese

cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced

•  Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
• Lightly dust your workbench with semolina, then roll out the dough into a 30cm circle.  
• Place pizza on a tray and prick all over with a fork.  Spread garlic oil over the base and scatter the basil leaves, grated mozzarella and tomatoes.  
• Place the tray on the preheated stone and bake for about 6 - 7 minutes, or until the base is golden and crisp.
• Remove pizza from the oven, top with basil leaves and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.  Serve hot.