Something fresh and easy for all the family to enjoy!
In these difficult times of lock down we are taking it in turns to cook in our household. Here is a quick and easy recipe that most family members can make a great job of. You can even add other toppings to suit differing tastes.
The steel pizza paddle is a great boon but not necessary although we definitely recommend using the black ‘magic’ Baco glide to stop the bases pizza sticking on your cold shelf.
Word of warning though – remember to remove the Baco glide before you get going with the Pizza wheel!
Spinach and Mozzarella Pizza
Pizza dough for bases:
• 500g (1Ib 2oz) ‘OO’ flour
• 15g dried yeast, 2 sachets
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 300ml (10 fl oz) tepid water
Tomato sauce:
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 x 400g can of good quality chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• Salt and black pepper
Topping:
• 200g (7oz) young spinach leaves
• 25g (1oz) butter
• Salt and black pepper
• Grating of nutmeg
• 3 balls of mozzarella cheese, sliced
• Black olives, sliced – optional
Firstly make the pizza dough by placing the flour, yeast and salt into a bowl and mix together, then make a well in the centre. Add the oil and most of the tepid water and mix well adding the remaining water as required. (Different flours and how they are stored means they may differ slightly on the amount of water). Knead for 5 minutes until smooth – use a stand mixer with the dough hook or by hand. Cover the bowl with cling film and place next to the AGA to rise for an hour.
Meanwhile make the tomato sauce by heating the oil in a saucepan. Gently fry the onion and garlic on the simmering plate until soft but not coloured. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée and sugar. Stir and bring to the boil on the boiling plate, boil for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture has thickened to a spreadable consistency, cool and season.
Wash the spinach leaves, melt the butter in a saucepan with the salt and pepper, add the spinach leaves. Cover with a lid and cook on the simmering plate for about 4 minutes, drain well then season with a little grated nutmeg.
Take the dough from the bowl and divide into three pieces. Knead each piece into a ball then roll out into a circle about 25cm ( 10 inches) in diameter, place onto a circle of Bake-O-Glide. Bruch the surface of the dough with a little olive oil. Leave to rise for 15 minutes then spread with the tomato sauce, (any sauce left-over can be frozen) arrange the drained spinach, mozzarella cheese slices and black olives (if used) over the top.
2, 3 and 4 oven AGA: Cook direct on the floor of the roasting oven for 10-12 minutes, until crisp and cooked through. Serve with salad.
Conventional cooking: Cook the sauce and spinach on the hob. Bake at 220°C (425°F), fan oven 200°C, gas mark 7 on a Bake-O-Glide lined baking tray in the centre of the oven for 12-15 minutes.