Forget the stuffed crust deep pan monstrosities, what we are looking for is a thin crisp base that melts in the mouth.
The first thing is the ingredients. I always use OO Flour which is super fine and gives a light, crisp base and a small amount of semolina flour for texture. Both are available in most Italian deli's and from the better supermarkets. It really makes a difference so do search them out.
Secondly its about the hottest oven you can get with a pizza stone (preferably granite) heated in it for about an hour. A good pizza needs fierce heat.
The recipe below is for a simple margarita pizza so feel free to add your favourite toppings but don't go mad as less is definitely more.
Recipe (makes two pizzas)
You will need:
A bread machine
A pizza stone
A hand blender
Ingredients:
Dough:
350g OO Flour
2 tbsp semolina flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 packet instant yeast
1 tsp salt
1tsp honey
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
Tomato Base:
1 carton passata
2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
Handful of fresh mixed herbs such as basil, oregano, parsley etc
Cheese:
1 ball Mozzarella (Doesn't need to be buffalo but it should be in brine in a bag. If its in a block or grated its nasty and like plastic)
I also like gorgonzola or dolcelate on mine as well as the mozzarella but thats up to you.
Method:
- Put your pizza stone in the oven and turn it to its highest setting.
- Place all the dough ingredients in the bread machine with 8fl oz/250ml of water and use the dough or pizza setting which is usually about 45 minutes.
- Add the garlic then soften it in the olive oil with seasoning (Adding salt at this stage helps prevent it burning)
- Add the red wine vinegar, the passata and cook for about ten minutes to reduce then add the tomato puree.
- Use a hand blender to combine the sauce and put to one side ready for your pizza.
- Once the dough is ready take half of it out of the bread machine and roll out on a surface dusted with semolina flour to about 2mm thick. Let it rest for a few minutes while you prepare your toppings and cheese.
- The next stage is very important. Ensure that you have everything lined up ready to put onto the pizza so that you can work fast and get your pizza topped and in the oven the oven in as short amount of time as possible. This should include a trivet to put the pizza stone on as it will be HOT.
- Carefully remove the pizza stone from the oven and lay on the trivet. Work fast, putting the tomato sauce on first. If your stone is hot enough you will notice air bubbles forming in the base as you do this and that is a good sign.
- Next add the cheese and whatever your chosen toppings are. Put the pizza stone back in the oven and cook until the base is crisp and the cheese is bubbling. This should not take long (My oven goes up to 250f on Max and it takes 5 minutes)
Top with some fresh basil or rocket and enjoy. My toppings were Chorizo, chillies onions and peppers.
