Pizza Pie!

My favourite meal in the whole world is pizza. I love it so much that sometimes I can't think of anything else. It has to be really good pizza, though. Pizza Mario's in Surry Hills is the best i've ever had (i haven't been to the birthplace of pizza yet, but a trip is immanent). The crust is thin but chewy, baked to perfection in a wood fired oven. Strict topping rules are enforced: simple and restrained, using top notch ingredients. I always get the margarita with mushrooms and olives. So so good. I have been making pizza at home for a while now, they are never anywhere near as good as PM's, but i refuse to give up and i feel they are slowly improving as i experiment with different methods. I use fresh yeast when i can and half white bakers flour/half wholemeal flour, for texture. My sauce is slow cooked until thick and flavoursome. For this batch, I splurged on buffalo mozzarella, which is the perfect cheese for pizza. The pesto is a tasty alternative. Just follow the recipe here, though i used macadamias in place of pine nuts (I don't trust pine nuts anymore, and they are ridiculously expensive). You could also slice some fresh tomato over the top and/or dot with goats curd to liven it up a bit. Pizza done this way is not at all bad for you and should be eaten regularly. Serve with a fresh green salad dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a splash of red wine vinegar.  

Pizza Base (makes 6):

Ingredients: 

15g fresh yeast

1/2 tsp castor sugar

1tblsp warm water

250g strong white bakers flour (plus extra for dusting)

250g wholemeal fllour
2tblsp whole milk powder (optional)

1 1/2tsp salt

375ml warm water

1/4 cup olive oil
polenta for the final dust

Method:

Mix the yeast, sugar and 1 tbslp of warm water in a small dish. Set aside for 5-10 mins until frothy and bubbly. Mix together the flours, salt and milk powder (if using) in a large bowl, making a well in the centre. Pour the yeast mixture and oil into the centre, pour the warm water in and stir with a fork until the mixture becomes too thick and you need to use your hands. Tip out onto a floured surface and need for 10mins until it is 'tacky' (not to wet nor dry) to the touch. Leave in a oil slicked bowl covered with cling film for 90mins, until doubled in size. Take out of the bowl and need briefly, divide unto 6 equal sized balls, place on a floured surface and cover with a damp tea towel for 15mins to prove. Dust with polenta and roll out the balls into flat discs, stretching with your hands to get them fairly thin, Its up to personal preference as to how thin you stretch them. Set in a very hot oven for a couple of mins. Cool on wire racks (they can be frozen at this point as well). Top as desired and return to the oven until golden and bubbly. Slice and serve immediately.

Tomato sauce (makes enough for about 4 pizzas):

Ingredients: 

olive oil 

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 small chilli (or more, to taste), chopped

2 tins whole, peeled tomatoes 

1 tblsp dried oregano

salt n' pepper

Method:

Heat a splash of olive oil in a saucepan, sauté the garlic and chilli being careful not to burn the garlic (as it will turn bitter). Add the tomatoes and oregano, bring to a slow simmer and cook for and hour and an hour and a half, breaking up the tomatoes towards the end. 

Base Recipe from Maggie Beer, Maggie's Harvest.