Sunday, October 6, 2013

No Pizza-Stone Pizza


Just like in those fancy pizza restaurants....
As I am such a scrooge, I still haven't bought a pizza stone, or is it I can't find the right one?


Anyways, found this ingenious method of making a crispy, thin pizza crust, just like I like it without the *essential* stone.  Kick-start by pan frying!  Then finish by grilling in the oven.  (If you like thick crust I guess baking it would ensure base is well and truly cooked.  Luckily I don't have that issue)
I like mine thin and crispy.



Garnished with torn basil leaves and zarta or is that oregano?
Ingredients
6 cups of white flour
1/2 cup of flax seeds grounded (optional)
2 tbs of yeast
1.5 tbs of salt
Warm water about 2 cups to a sticky dough
Flour/semolina  for dusting
Pizza toppings

Mix all ingredients
Leave to rest.  If I want if after work. I make in the morning.  Leave in fridge to rest.  It still rises in the fridge. Take out when I return home.  Let it warm to room temperature and the dough is ready to go.
Source Recipe for dough

Gordon Ramsey No Stone Pizza Idea Link : @ 9:02 in clip
Am checking if this dough is freezable will update later.
Update, Frozen dough used a few days later were very convenient and very tasty.

Turn grill on.
Prepare and have ready toppings:
Aubergine anti-pasti; mozzarella; mushrooms; tomatoes; fresh/dried herbs; anchovies; procured meats; sausages; grated mature yellow cheese; spring onions etc.,

Knock out air and cut small ball out and roll to the desired thickness of pizza dough, dusting with flour or semolina.  I like it super thin which I found pretty hard to get to.  If you like it thick then don't bother rolling, just press with fingers and hand into shape.

07.22: Spray oil on to cold frying pan. 
Do not heat. Roll dough thinly on baking paper. 
Flip onto a cold pan. 
Then heat till done. F
lip onto another side. Whilst still cooking on medium/low heat, starting filling topping on top. 
Place in oven under Grill till done!

Here is Spelt dough: 
500 gr Spelt (70%)
2 tsp of active yeast
250 ml of water
2 tbps Date syrup _ mix with yeast
2 tsp of salt
Knead 5 mins - Rest 1 hour or double in size.
Knead again. Roll and top.




Anyways, heat a frying pan with a little oil, when hot carefully place the rolled-out pizza dough inside.  On high heat, cook till large bubbles start to form, brown then flip and brown the other side.
When the pizza dough is nice and crispy and still on the heat (you can lower the heat if you want more time to put the toppings on)
Add the toppings fast.  Warning, put less base sauce than needed.  I found a little less prevents a soggy crust.
Then transfer the pan with pizza from the stove to the already hot grill.
Grill to nice and crispy done.
Needless to say this is GREAT with just good olive oil and zatar too.


Serve with torn greens such as rocket.
Could the sliced tomatoes be soggifying the pizza crust???

Toppings (pic below):
No sliced tomatoes and you know what? No soggy middle!
mix of grated tomatoes with bit of ketchup around the edges of the crust.
Mushrooms,  Courgettes, Eggplant (post grilled) Pastrami, Rosemary, Oregano, Spring Onions
Mozzarella
Home made tomato base : Cook chopped tomatoes with chopped garlic, salt and pepper.  Cook till the sauce is thick and 'reduced'.
Home made pesto base: Whiz in blender, walnuts, basil, garlic, salt and olive oil.



Garnished with spring onions and rosemary



Update: Pizza upgrade - meat eaters, (lachman-jun style)



Fry ground beef with onions, season with soya and worchestershire sauce.
Top with chop corriander, and tomatoes.

Note:  Top with meat AFTER pizza base comes out of the oven.
Otherwise the meat gets dry if baked.
 Baby loved it!

Just gets better and better.
Who needs tomato-based sauce?  Only had basil pesto and guess what?  It was DELICIOUS!
Friend said she doesn't like pesto but this was divine.

For those wondering:
basil pesto; cherry tomatoes; fresh mozzarella;  mushrooms; anchovies; red onions; mixed baby salad leaves; black sesame seeds.
Looking at this pic. I somehow imagine prawns would make this totally decadent, which, could be a good thing....


Too good.....


Ain't nothing better than home-made pizza with good friends and their children...doing all the work, having fun making their own!



Below, homemade spelt pizza crust after the frying pan, cooled and bagged into the freezer for a quick, healthy pizza at home.


Took frozen spelt crust out and topped as usual - Came out a treat




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