Whenever I feel a bit restless, cooking with yeast seems to be the answer to my agitated thought process. I am not a patient sort of individual and like to embrace the immediacy of the moment and to hold the tangibility of results in the things I do. Yeast did not help me survive the reality of life though but the art of ceramics did and so did my art therapy training. Waiting does not offer tranquility as it comes with what can be sometimes terrifying uncertainty. Not-knowing has never felt so deeply as it feels now, neither has felt so collectively. As I don't have a studio space anymore, I had to transfer the art of waiting to the kitchen so whenever I want to slow down and manage anxiety I opt to bake. And it's somehow a relief to know that I am not the only one baking coping strategies. There is a reason why the flour shelve in the supermarket remains empty - and is not because I am stockpiling!
With the above in mind, I hope you enjoy the slow process of making these mini pizzas, being conscious of the fact that if eating with a 10 month old baby you may spend even more time on the dinner table than on the making and certainly with twice the amount of uncertainty. Keep safe and sane!
 |
| © The Teaspoon |
Ingredients
For the dough (I prepared the dough and froze half of it for another day):
600 g strong white bread flour + more to dust
20 g dried yeast
250 + 50 ml lukewarm water
2 tsp salt
75 ml extra virgin olive oil + more to drizzle
Semolina - to dust
For the sauce:
A handful of plum tomatoes (approximately 6-10)
1/2 onion - finely diced
1 garlic clove - crushed
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Black pepper (optional)
For the topping:
This one is really up to you but apart from the sauce I used finely chopped spinach (a handful), black olives (5-8) and grated mozzarella cheese (100 g).
Method
In a bowl use a wooden spoon to combine half the flour with the yeast and approximately 250 ml lukewarm water. Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside in a warm and dark place such as the oven (switched off) for 3-4 hours.
Add the rest of the flour and 50ml of lukewarm water, the oil and salt and make a dough using your hands. Knead in a floured surface for approximately 10 minutes until elastic enough. It shouldn't be dry so be careful adding extra flour. Place in the bowl again and cover this time with oiled cling film - sealed tightly and leave to rise in a warm place again for an hour or until doubled in size. Sometimes my dough doesn't really double in size so trust the recipe and your skills and go with whatever you have.
Preheat the oven to 210C/450F. Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper and dust with semolina.
Divide the dough in two parts and freeze one half so you can use it in another time.
Dust a clean surface with flour and use a rolling pin to stretch the dough to form a rough rectangle. The dough should be about 5mm thick. Use scone cutter to cut the dough into mini circles and place on the prepared baking trays dusted with semolina.
Top with your choice of topping, adding the sauce first -if using and finishing with the cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the the base is golden.
Enjoy!
 |
| © The Teaspoon |
 |
| © The Teaspoon |
No comments:
Post a Comment