Courtesy of Executive Chef of Cucina Porto at The Star Sydney, Martino Pulito
Makes: Two pizzas
Ingredients:
- 1L water
- 1.6kg 00 flour
- 50g salt
- 2g yeast
- 20g sugar
- 50ml extra virgin olive oil
Method:
- Sift the flour in a large bowl and mix in the dry yeast.
- In a separate container, dissolve the salt in room temperature water (it’s very important that the salt doesn’t get in contact with the yeast).
- Start mixing the four ingredients with your hands, though only mix in half of the flour for now.
- Now it’s time to add the sugar and the oil, then add in the rest of the flour.
- In Italy, we say “Lavare le mani con la farina“, which means “wash your hands with the flour”. Place the dough on the bench and work for it for 15-20 minutes, gently folding it all the time.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
- Then cut the dough into two 300gr balls, put it on an oiled tray and let it rest for at least eight hours.
- Once the dough is rested, place baking paper down on two trays and then drizzle with olive oil. Stretch the dough making sure that you cover all the edges of the tray and leave it to rise by double in a room with no air flow (I always put it in an oven that’s not turned on).
- Once the dough has risen (it usually takes two to four hours) it’s ready for baking. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Celsius. Add a tomato base, and cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Then, add your favourite toppings and cheese and cook for a further five minutes or until golden and the cheese is melted.
- Drizzle with olive oil and enjoy!
PIZZA CAPRICCIOSA
Makes one pizza
Ingredients:
- 150g peeled or chopped canned tomatoes
- 120g fior di latte
- 120g shaved ham
- 60g Swiss brown mushrooms
- 80g grilled artichokes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 60g black kalamata olives, pitted
- 300g pizza dough (based on Martino’s pizza dough recipe)
- Olive oil, to serve
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Celsius.
- Place some baking paper on a tray.
- Stretch the pizza dough into a round circle of 33 cm in diameter.
- Spread the tomato over the base and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
- While that is baking, slice up the mushrooms, ham and artichokes.
- Take the pizza out of the oven and with your hands sprinkle the mushrooms, ham, artichokes, cheese and olives over the pizza.
- Place it into the oven and cook for a further five minutes or until golden and the cheese has melted.
- After the pizza is cooked, sprinkle over the dry oregano, drizzle it with olive oil and enjoy!