Frying pan pizza - take two

On Friday evening I had lots of friends over to celebrate the end of exams.  Originally we planned to order a take-away but I couldn't resist another attempt at my no oven, no grill pizza.  This time I used a proper pizza dough recipe from the July edition of the BBC GoodFood magazine which arrived just a couple of days before then end of my exams.

For 4 pizzas you will need:
500g plain flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried yeast (or 1/4 tsp fast-action yeast)
400ml warm water
oil for greasing

Frying pan pizza

I used strong white bread flour but it didn't work amazingly well so I think plain white flour would be better.  As I don't have a mixer the dough took about 45 minutes to make but if you do have a mixer with a dough hook then it can be done in as little as 15 minutes.

If you're making the dough in a mixer make sure you've attached the dough hook, if not get a large bowl and start off mixing with a wooden spoon and as the mixture thickens use your hands to bring the dough together.  All you need to do is weigh out the flour, add the salt and yeast (if it's fast-action, if not add it to the water first and wait five minutes to allow the yeast to start working).  Pour the liquid in gradually while mixing until the dough comes together in a ball.  If the dough is too sticky add a little extra flour (but remember that this dough is meant to be a little sticky), if it's too dry add some more water a little at a time but be careful not to add too much.

In a mixer the dough should be kneaded for 5-7 minutes, but hand this supposedly takes 10 minutes but I found it took longer than that (partly because I was kneading a larger quantity of dough) even with the help of D.  Knead the dough until it is shiny and springs back when you press your finger into it.

Oil a bowl (I used olive oil) and place the dough in it, turning it so it's coated in the oil.  Cover the bowl tightly with cling film and place a tea towel over the top.  Leave the bowl in a safe, warm place, out of the way of draughts for 2-4 hours.

These pizzas can be cooked on a BBQ but I used my trusty frying pan.  The main problem I encountered was that my toppings were generally too wet, meaning the base became soggy, so although the pizzas tasted good they were a little tricky to eat and not as crispy as I would have liked.

For the tomato sauce (per pizza):
a handful of cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 tsp tomato puree
1/4 can chopped tomatoes (strained)

Mix the tomatoes together with some seasoning and warm through in a saucepan.  I didn't strain my chopped tomatoes but I think it would be a good idea to help get rid of some of the excess moisture (and for anyone else just finishing exams you could save the juice to use in a Bloody Mary!)

Cooking the pizza base

To cook the pizza base take a quarter of your dough and stretch it out until it is the right size (for me this was dictated by the size of my saucepan).  I found it best to heat a teaspoon of olive oil in the saucepan, then to place my dough into the pan and cook it on very low for 4-5 minutes until the underside was browned.

Then flip the dough over.  Place your tomatoes on top along with any other toppings you fancy (microwave-steamed asparagus worked well as did pepperoni and mushrooms) finally sprinkle some cheese over the top.  I used mozzarella but although I had tried to squeeze out some of the moisture it was still too wet.  I am still on the hunt for a better option (let me know in the comments if you have any better ideas).

Adding the toppings

Once again cook on low for 4-5 minutes, this time covering the frying pan with a lid to trap in the heat and melt the mozzarella.  Check to make sure the bottom has browned and cook for a further couple of minutes if it hasn't.  Then transfer to a plate and top with a couple of basil leaves to serve.  I got my basil leaves from a plant I've had in my room and managed to keep alive for over a month now!

Basil

It seems strange to think that in just over a couple of weeks time I will be leaving Cambridge and my little kitchen.  As much as I'm excited to move on to new places and new experiences I will really miss Cambridge with all its lovely quirks.

Aromi - Review

It's time for another review and today it's Aromi's turn.  Aromi is a lovely Sicilian cafe right in the heart of Cambridge and has been open for about a year now.  I've been there a lot this year and it has never disappointed, whether you go there for coffee with a friend,W or to grab a bite to eat on your way home.

When they say they offer a slice of Sicilian life they really do mean it.  All of their food from their bread to their desserts are home-made in the traditional Sicilian style and all their authentic ingredients are imported from Sicily where they have a sister cafe!

As you enter you are greeted by a counter containing their wonderful array of focaccias, arancini and pastries.  Every day their window display is piled high with freshly made paninis and you can even watch them make their fantastic pizzas.

Aromi tends to get very busy around 12  during the lunch rush which means finding a seat can be tricky.  However, if you're planning on eating in I recommend doing what we did and going at 11:30 when most of their lunch stuff is out and there are still free seats!

As we walked in we were greeted by their friendly staff who quickly took our order (a double macchiato, latte, ham focaccia, schiacciatella cipriani and a mushroom arancini).  We then headed downstairs to sit down.

Macchiato

The food and drinks arrived quickly and everything looked so tempting I didn't know where to start.  As I'd never tried one of their arancini before I decided to start there.

Focaccia, Schiacciatella and Arancini

The mushroom arancini was delicious, with a crisp outer coating which revealed the cheesy rice and mushrooms when you cut into it.  The texture was creamy and the cheese wasn't overpowering, meaning you could still taste the mushrooms.

Mushroom Arancini

We then moved on to the ham focaccia.  I've had their focaccias before as they are perfect to take-away on those busy days.  This one was as good as ever - warm but not dry thanks to the tomatoes.

Ham Focaccia

The schiacciatella cipriani is one of my favourite things to get at aromi.  It's a flatbread containing smoked provola cheese, caramelized onions, mushrooms and parsley and I would definitely recommend getting it toasted (you don't want to miss out on the melted cheese).

Schiacciatella Cipriani

Aromi is a great place to go if you're vegetarian as they've got lots of different veggie options to choose from, from pizzas to focaccias.

Of course no visit to a Sicilian cafe would be complete without trying their cannoli, which are traditional Sicilian pastry desserts.  Aromi always have lots of these with a variety of different fillings arranged enticingly on their counter.  I had previously tried a pistachio one, so today I was excited to try a couple of different flavours - one was chocolate and the other was ricotta with chocolate chips.

Ricotta and Chocolate Cannoli

Of the two the ricotta and chocolate chip was my favourite but the chocolate was also delicious.  This rich dessert will definitely leave you wanting more.  If you're going for coffee then cannoli would make an excellent accompaniment!

I will leave you with the exciting news that Aromi will soon be serving gelato from a new shop just around the corner which should open come the summer!

If you want to find out more about Aromi then you can visit their website, follow them on Twitter or like them on Facebook.

If you want to visit them you'll find them at: 1 Benet Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB2 3QN
They're open from 09:00 until 17:00 from Monday to Thursday and from 09:00 until 20:00 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Pesto and Pizza

I'm sorry I haven't posted in so long, I've been super busy as it's the end of term and just haven't got round to writing a post.  Anyway, I have a bit more time now so I'll post a bit more frequently to make up for it.

Just before my friend left to go off on her travels we got together for one last meal which turned into more of a feast as we had way too much lasagne and pizza given that there were only four of us eating!  My contribution to the dinner was the portobello pesto pizza which I came across on Brown Eyed Baker, one of the many blogs I follow.  As soon as I saw the recipe I loved the look of it, especially the idea of replacing the traditional tomato sauce with pesto - I had to try it!

I didn't make my own pesto for this particular recipe but it seems like a good opportunity to tell you about the pesto I did make earlier this term.  Although it is really simple to make pesto you do need some sort of food processor or blender to make it.  I think I've mentioned my Kenwood Mini Chopper before and it really was the perfect size for making pesto.  This recipe makes 250ml of pesto which is exactly the right amount for the pizza.

You will need:
50g pine nuts
large bunch basil
50g Parmesan (or similar alternative - you can buy pre-grated if you want to make things easy for yourself)
150ml olive oil plus extra for storing
2 garlic cloves

1. Heat a small frying pan over a low heat (keep the pan dry, you don't need any oil or fat).  Cook the pine nuts until they are golden, make sure to shake the pan occasionally so they don't burn.
2. Put the pine nuts into a food processor (or a bowl if using an hand-held blender), add the remaining ingredients (try and shred the basil a little as you put it in and make sure you grate the Parmesan and crush the garlic).
3. Process until smooth, then season with salt and pepper.

The finished product

If you don't want to use all of the pesto at once you can put it in a jar, cover the top with a little olive oil, seal and store in the fridge where it will keep for a couple of weeks.

If however, you're like me and love the sound of the portobello pesto pizza then don't bother preserving it, just dive straight into this next recipe!  You could even make it while the dough is rising to save time.

As I made the dough from scratch it took longer but was so worth it!  You'll need to make the dough about 3 hours before you plan to sit down to eat.  This recipe makes enough dough for two pizzas, however, you will have to double the toppings.  In the photos you will see that I ended up with a really thick base, this is because we didn't have an extra tray so I just turned all the dough into one pizza so that we didn't waste it.  The result was good but I would definitely advise making a thinner base.

For the dough you will need:

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 sachet (7g) instant yeast

2 tbsp olive oil

4 cups bread flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

For the toppings you will need:

1 tbsp unsalted butter

300-400g mini portabella mushrooms (I used 1 300g punnet) - chopped

1/2 medium red onion - thickly sliced

(splash of white wine - optional)

(dash of Worcestershire sauce - optional)

1 cup pesto (you can use your homemade pesto for this!)

225g provolone cheese - thinly sliced if possible, I used grated

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese - grated

1. In a mixing bowl combine the water, yeast and olive oil.  Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy (about 5 mins).
2. Add in 2 cups bread flour and salt.  If you have a mixer with a dough hook attachment then mix the dough on a low setting until if is sticky.  If like me you don't continue to use the spoon to turn the dough over and combine the flour.
3. Add 2 more cups of flour and continue to combine into the dough until it comes together in a ball and is no longer sticky.  As the dough becomes less sticky you may want to start using your hands to work the dough rather than the spoon.  If you have a mixer keep going with that!  If the dough isn't smooth then add a could of drops of warm water and mix until  it is the right consistency.  If it's too sticky add some more flour 1/4 cup at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
4. Rub a large bowl with olive oil and place the dough inside, turning it over to coat it in the oil.  Cover with a towel and leave in a warm place to rise for 1-2 hours.
5. While the dough is rising prepare your toppings - chop the mushrooms and onion, grate the cheese and make the pesto if you want to use homemade.
6. After the dough has risen turn it out onto a floured surface.  Divide it into two pieces (you will only need one).  Wrap one in cling film and store in the freezer in a zip-lock bag until you want to use it (just put it in the fridge on the morning of the day you want to use it.)  Roll the other one out with a rolling pin into your desired shape (I advise doing this on the tray you are going to cook the pizza on), cover with a towel and leave in a warm place for another 10 or so minutes (don't leave it longer than 30).
7. While the dough is rising heat the oven to 260 degrees Celsius
8. In a frying pan melt the butter over a medium heat and add the mushrooms and onions.  When they have cooked down a bit add the wine and Worcestershire sauce if you're using them.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms have released all of their liquid and the mushrooms and onions are soft and browned (this should take 10-15 minutes).  Remove from the heat and set aside
9. Spread the pesto over the pizza base, leaving some space for the crust.  Spread the mushroom and onion mixture over the pesto and top with the provolone and Parmesan cheese.
10. Place the tray into the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, until the crust is brown and the cheese is golden.  Remove from the oven and serve!

I'm sorry about the poor quality of the photos, I only realised once I was at my friend's that I didn't have my camera with me so I had to make-do with my phone instead.

Before going into the oven

After being baked

 I love pesto as it is such a versatile ingredient, it is one of those things that I always have a pot of in my cupboard so I can easily rustle up something tasty when I'm feeling lazy.  I use in so many dishes, from pasta - along with some mushrooms, onion and bacon -  to toasties - it tastes particularly good with chicken and mozzarella.

No Oven, No Grill Pizza

A pizza you can make without and oven or a grill?  Yes this really is a dream come true!  This post is for all of you who, like me, love pizza but don't want to always order a take-away which is often overpriced and greasy.

Edit: I have since tried making frying pan pizza again with a better dough recipe, have a look at the updated post here.

No oven, no grill pizza

All you need to make this pizza is a frying pan with a lid/a plate that will fully cover the top of the pan, a hob and the following ingredients.

Self-raising flour
Olive oil
Tomato base (passata and tomatoes)
cheese (mozarella)
toppings (anything you like!)

Prepare your toppings in advance.  I diced a couple of tomatoes, some red onion and finely chopped a couple of cloves of garlic.  Make as much or as little topping as you fancy.  I fried the onion and garlic before adding about 4 tbsp passata and the tomatoes.  You could alternatively use some chopped tomatoes from a can mixed with some tomato paste or replace my normal tomatoes with some halved cherry tomatoes.  I also added a few olives to the frying pan for the last minute.

Next make the dough.  My base didn't come out very well but I have some suggestions regarding how to make it better and will update this post next time I try making pizza again.  I used 225g plain flour, first mistake, along with 3 tbsp olive oil and 6-7 tbsp warm water.  Next time I do this I will be sure to use self-raising flour so that my dough isn't as dense and to mix the ingredients in a larger bowl so that I can combine them more easily.  Essentially you want to mix in the oil with about half of the water, then add the rest gradually until your flour comes together as you are mixing it to form a soft dough.  If you need to add a little more water to combine all the flour then do so, but don't add too much otherwise your dough will be too sticky.  Similarly, if your dough comes together before you have added all the water, then stop, don't add too much!

Roll out the dough on a flat surface.  I don't have a rolling pin, so I found an empty wine bottle, wrapped it in cling film (to make sure I didn't get wine/dirt in the dough) and used that to roll out my pizza base.  This was my next mistake.  You need to roll out your dough until it is the size of the base of your frying pan.  My dough was a little too thick.  If this is the case for you, either don't use all the dough or make two small rather than one large pizza.

Heat some oil in a frying pan and place your pizza base into the pan.  Cook it for a few minutes, then use a spatula to check the bottom.  If it is browning then carefully flip your base over.  If not leave it for a little longer until it does go brown.  Once flipped add your tomato base and toppings (you can use literally anything) and scatter on around 50g cheese (or enough to cover the top of your pizza).  Cover your pan with a lid (or plate or anything that covers the top of your pan) and leave for another few minutes.  Check after 2 or 3 minutes to see if the cheese is melting and try and use a spatula to check the bottom of the pizza.  Once the base has browned and the cheese has melted then your pizza is ready to eat.  Slide it carefully onto a plate and served.  I garnished mine with some fresh basil leaves as I happened to have some left over.

So there you have it, a no oven, no grill pizza.  It took me about half an hour to make and with a few adjustments to the base it will be the perfect, healthy alternative to a take-away.