Fast Food - Pizza

Potato and Pepperoni Pizza

No!  I did not order a pizza last night.  Why anyone would want to buy a pizza from the supermarket, or to order one from a local delivery service is beyond me.  With just a few ingredients you can have a much tastier, healthier (have you any idea how much salt they put in those things?) and in many cases quicker meal than if you had picked up the telephone.

There are many things that revolve around in my head when I am trying to get to sleep.  Quite often it is Keira Knightley.  One, more tangible icon, though, is a wood-fired oven.  I would love to have one of those cocoon-shaped brick ovens in my back garden, where it is possible to conjour up impressive breads and pizza's.  Maybe one day, when we have a large enough garden I will treat myself to one of these luxuries (along with the wine cellar, tandoor and inflatable film star).

A quick reconnaissance of the fridge revealed a rather disappointing paucity of pizza toppings - salami and a potato.  Here's how to make the dough:

•   I never measure out the flour, which in last night's case was strong Canadian bread flour.  I imagine it was about 300-350g.  
•   I added a small pinch of sea salt.
•   In a jug I added about 200ml of warm water and a nearly full teaspoon of quick yeast.
•   I slowly add the water and mix with my solitary index finger (to roughly resemble the action of a dough hook) until I have a ball of pizza dough.  It should be pliant and slightly sticky.
•   Flour a clean work surface and kneed it for 5-10 minutes until it is soft, stretchy and no longer sticky.
•   Place in a bowl and leave for 30 minutes.
•   Knock it back and split into two.  Roll each ball into an amorphous pizza shape, the dough should be 4-5mm thick.

  
There are two ways to make a tomato sauce.  The quick way, and the not-so-quick way.  Today is the quick way:

•   I had 3/4 of a can of peeled plum tomatoes left over.  I put them into a mini-blender.
•   Add a squidge of tomato ketchup.
•   Blend to a smooth paste!

I'm sure you don't need me how to tell you how to put tomato sauce, or toppings onto a pizza.  The potato, however was sliced razor thin using a vegetable peeler, and the cheese I used was a combination of tasteless cheap cheddar and salty pecorino.

It takes about 10 minutes in the oven at 180C (fan assisted).  It will be crispy around the edges, but perfectly cooked in the centre.