PIZZA QUATTRO STAGIONI

 

Ingredients

1 x 30cm pizza base

1 quantity tomato sauce (or you can use tomato sauce from a jar)

1 Tbsp grated parmesan

60gr mozzarella, chopped

30g thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into small pieces

1 ripe tomato, thinly sliced

3 basil leaves, shredded

4 small artichoke hearts, marinated in oil, drained and quartered

4 button mushrooms, sliced

pinch of dried oregano

1 Tbsp olive oil

Pizza base

220 g water, room temperature

1 tsp sugar

or malt powder

2 tsp dried instant yeast (8 g) or 20 g fresh yeast, crumbled

400 g strong white bread flour

30 g extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing

1 tsp fine sea salt

corn meal

Tomato sauce

120g plum tomatoes

3 basil leaves

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 Tbsp tomato passata

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Pizza base - TM

Lightly grease a large bowl and set aside. Place water, sugar and yeast in mixing bowl then mix 20 sec/speed 2.

Add flour, oil and salt then knead Dough /2 min. Transfer to prepared bowl and bring together into a ball. Cover bowl with reusable wrap or cling film lightly oiled to prevent it from sticking to the rising dough and leave to rise until doubled in size (approx. 1 hour). 

Tomato sauce

Core the tomatoes and puree in a food processor with the basil leaves (or chop the tomatoes and basil very finely and stir together). Stir in the garlic, passata and olive oil and season well. Leave for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavours to blend. Makes 200ml.

Assembly

Preheat the oven to 230C. 

Use dough to make 4 individual round pizzas. Divide the dough into four equal sized balls.

To shape pizza, place dough on a baking tray dusted with cornmeal or greased with extra virgin olive oil. Press it out with your fingertips from the centre to the edges, and gently stretch it into shape. Alternatively, roll out with a rolling pin on a floured surface then transfer to a baking tray.

Spoon the tomato sauce onto the base, spreading it up to the rim. Sprinkle with the Parmesan on top. 

Visually divide the pizza into quarters. Scatter the mozzarella over two opposite quarters. spread the prosciutto over one of these, and arrange the tomato over the other. Lightly salt the tomato and sprinkle on the basil.

Arrange the artichoke ove the third quarter, and the mushrooms ove the final quarter. Sprinkle the oregano over both these sections.

Drizzle the oil over the pizza. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden and puffed.

Serves 4