Perfect Pizza Dough

Even if I do say so myself. I've been making pizzas at home for a few years now, but I've always used the 'just add water' mix to make my pizza dough. NOT ANY MORE. Whilst I was in Sorrento I learnt how to make pizza dough, and at the weekend I made it for the first time and I have to say it was a-ma-zing.

It was so good that I made some more dough the following morning so I could have a marinara pizza for lunch. So here are the recipes for the pizza dough and the marinara topping. I got the thumbs up from the American Vegetarian and after abstaining from Italian food since we got back it was a wonderful reminder of the beauty of Italian food.

Pizza Dough (Makes one large pizza, enough for 2-3)

Ingredients 

250grams of strong white flour.
1 tspn of dried active yeast (the one which you activate in water first.)
1 tbspn of extra virgin olive oil.
Good pinch of salt.
Small glass of warm water.

Method

Activate the yeast in some warm water. Mix the flour with the salt and extra virgin olive oil. Then add the activated yeast and mix well. Slowly add the warm water until you have a dough. If you add too much water don't worry, just add some more flour until its not sticky and you have a nice dough. Need for around 5 mins. Whilst needing if the dough becomes sticky to your hand add some more flour or a small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. This will prevent further sticking and also help with the needing process. Once you have a smooth dough, cover with a damp cloth and place somewhere warm for about one hour or until it has risen.

After a good hour take the dough, and on a well floured surface roll the dough out to the size you require.

Go to my post Italian Tomato Sauce, to see how I make my pizza sauce.

Once you have your sauce and base, try this simple and delightful marinara topping. I love this topping for a pizza as it has no cheese!

Marinara Topping

Ingredients

Dried oregano.
1 clove of garlic finely sliced.
Extra virgin olive oil.

Method

After you have rolled out your pizza and topped it with the pizza sauce, sprinkle over the dried oregano, and add the sliced garlic. Cook in an pre heated oven (180 degrees Celsius) for 15 mins or until pizza is cooked. Once done drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy.

Farari bateta nu shaak (Potato curry with coriander and cashew nuts)

Its festival season in the Hindu/Gujarati calender, which means lots of nice food and family time. Some people fast on some days during this time and this dish is a dish my Mum would make when we fasted.

I didn't mind fasting as a child. Fasting didn't mean you couldn't eat all day until the evening but that you couldn't eat certain types of foods. I always felt a bit special when I fasted. I remember going to school and instead of having school dinners I would have some roasted and salted peanuts that Mum would have made me. I also just looked forward to the amazing dinner Mum would make when I got home.

The food that Mum made on the days we fasted was different to the every day 'dhal bhaat shaak n rotli (dhal, rice, curry 'n' rotli). It was special fancier food, well at least I thought so anyway. This potato curry is one of my all time favourites, and one you will not see in your every day high street Indian. It hasn't got a heavy tomato sauce but is light, fragrant with cashew nuts and coriander and delicious served with just some natural yoghurt.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

8 medium sized red potatoes; boiled and cubed.
A cube of ginger peeled and grated.
Half a green chilli.
1 tspn of salt.
1 tspn of sugar.
Big handful of cashew nuts; loosely broken.
Big handful of fresh coriander; chopped.
1 tspn of cumin seeds.
1 tbspn of sunflower/vegetable oil.
A splash of lemon juice.

Method

Once you have boiled your potatoes allow them to cool down and then peel the skin off and cut them into cubes and place on a dish. The potatoes should be at room temperature. Add the grated ginger, the chopped green chilli, salt, sugar and the coriander onto the potatoes. Heat some oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds and cashew nuts. Once they smell aromatic add the seasoned potatoes and toss it all together. The way I toss the potatoes is by holding the pan and doing a flip action rather then using a spoon. Using a spoon will crush the potatoes. So mix well by tossing the actual pan. Add a splash of lemon juice and cook on a low heat for around 5 mins.

Serve with natural yoghurt.