ROASTED VEGETABLE PIZZETTE

Personal pizzas are fun to make – prepare the dough and toppings ahead, then let everyone build and bake their own. Feel free to use other toppings such as sliced mushrooms, courgettes, mozzarella, or anchovies. We like to add wilted spinach or a handful of rocket just before serving. For the crispiest crust, bake the pizzette on preheated pizza stones or heavy baking sheets. For a shortcut, use ready-made wholemeal flatbreads for the base.

Serves: 6-8
Eat freshly baked
Freeze: uncooked dough 2 months (defrost overnight before using.)
Per serving: 263 cals, 36 g carbs

For the dough
110 g (4oz) wholemeal bread flour
170 g (6 oz) extra strong bread flour (Canadian is best)
plus extra as needed
1 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp honey
175 ml (6 fl oz) warm water 60ml(2floz)oliveoil
1 tsp salt

For the topping
1 red pepper
1 yellow or orange pepper
2 small red onions
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp dried oregano or Italian herbs
20 pitted Kalamata olives
10 grinds black pepper
10-12 cherry tomatoes
120 -150 g pack baby spinach 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic

Put the flour and yeast into a food processor or stand mixer. With the motor running, add the water, oil, salt, and honey, and mix until no flour is visible and a ball of dough forms that leaves the sides of the bowl clean. If the dough won’t cohere into a ball, add 1-2 tsp water and mix again. If it sticks to the spindle or beater, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it leaves the sides of the bowl clean.

Tip the dough onto a work surface, knead for 30 seconds then slap it down onto your worktop 10 times – this develops the gluten and ensures a good texture, as well as being an excellent way of venting pent-up frustration. Put a few drops of oil in a plastic bag, add the dough, close the bag and leave for 1 hour at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk. It can now be chilled, frozen, or baked.

Place a pizza stone or 2 heavy baking sheets in a cold oven and heat to 200°C/Gas 6. Cut the trimmed peppers and onion into thin strips and toss them in a bowl with the olive oil and salt. Spread them out on a large baking tray or roasting tin and roast for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven.

Increase the oven temperature to 250°C/Gas 10. Divide the risen dough into 6 balls and coat both sides with flour. Cover with a cloth and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Halve the tomatoes.

Cut two sheets of baking paper slightly larger than the pizza stone or baking sheets. Roll or stretch each ball of dough into a 15-20 cm (5 × 8”) oval. Lay 3 ovals side by side on each sheet of paper and top with the vegetables, olives, herbs, and black pepper. Using a pizza paddle or cold baking sheet slide the pizzette and paper onto the preheated stone or baking sheet while wearing oven gloves.

Bake the pizzette for 8-10 minutes or until the crust is puffy and golden. Meanwhile, wilt the spinach with the garlic, crushed in a press, and a pinch of salt, in the extra virgin olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the pizzette to a cooling rack and slide the paper out from underneath them to keep the base crisp. Add the spinach and serve.

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