Pizza

Ingredients

• For the dough

–          400 g strong white flour

–           100 g semolina, plus extra for dusting

–          2 tsp salt

–          15 g  fresh yeast, or 1½ tsp of dry yeast

–          275ml water

–          50 ml olive oil, plus extra for oiling for the topping

–          2tbsp tomato sauce

–          pizza toppings of your choice Preparation method

Preparation method

1 – In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, semolina and salt. Stir in the dried yeast. Pour most of the water into the well along with the olive oil and bring the dough together with your hands or a wooden spoon. Add the remaining water if the dough feels tight or hard.

2 – Knead the dough out onto a clean surface for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cut off a small piece of the dough and stretch part of it as thinly as you can. If you can see the shadow of your fingers through the dough – the light should shine through the dough like a window pane – without the dough tearing, it is ready to prove

3 – When the dough has risen, take it out of the bowl and knock the air out. Divide the dough into two equal portions, and shape each portion into a ball. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and allow to prove again for about 15 minutes.

4 – Place an upturned baking tray into the oven and preheat to its highest setting.

5 – Roll out one piece of the dough to form a circle that will PUT on your baking tray.

6 – Transfer the pizza base onto a plastic chopping board (or another upturned baking tray) dusted with semolina.

7 – Cover the surface with half of the tomato sauce and toppings of your choice.

8 – When ready to bake, slide the pizza directly and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the base is golden-brown and the toppings are bubbling. Repeat with the remaining dough, tomato sauce and toppings.

Source: BBC Food

H.Zoghib