I haven’t done a ‘take a break’ post for a while, so I’ve decided to use the opportunity to make a pizza. I used Jamie Oliver’s pizza dough recipe, which can be found here. I was introduced to Portal Pizza in Exeter last month when our chambers had its AGM. I could not get over how tasty the pizza was (if a certain someone wasn’t too busy dropping the pizza into their lap during the AGM lol) and, in particular, the Nennellla, which consisted of tomato, mozzarella, piquante peppers, mixed mushrooms and… tenderstem broccoli.
This pizza is going to be a homage to the Nennella, but with focus on the tenderstem broccoli.
Getting the dough to the right consistency was very difficult, but adding a little 00 flour helped. It really does pay to let it rise for an hour or so in the fridge unless you are looking for the Italian-style flat crust.
Once the dough had risen, I gently stretched it out by hand (although I did use the rolling pin to ensure the dough was stretched evenly). It keeps a little more air in the dough and gives you those lovely puffed-up crusts. It wasn’t perfectly round, but that’s part of the charm of homemade pizza.
For the topping, I kept things simple. A generous layer of tomato puree, cheese and, the star of the show…. the tenderstem broccoli. I lightly blanched it beforehand so it would cook through in the oven without drying out, then finished it with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
I was tempted to add mushrooms and piquante peppers to stay true to the Nennella, but I wanted the broccoli to be the main event. Sometimes the best pizzas are the simplest ones.
I cook on a pizza stone in the oven, which helps with overall cooking, as it heats evenly and the base is just like a takeaway pizza. It also gives the crust a nice crisp finish while keeping the centre light and airy.
The finished result was far better than I expected. The tenderstem develops a slight char on the tips, giving it a lovely roasted flavour that works surprisingly well with the puree and the cheese. While I don’t think I’ll be putting Portal Pizza out of business any time soon, it certainly satisfied the craving.
Making pizza from scratch is one of those recipes that’s as much about the process as the end result. If you’ve never tried making your own dough before, I’d definitely recommend giving it a go.
Until the next “Take a Break” post, happy cooking!
Information
Alec Hancock is a practising Barrister at Magdalen Chambers in Exeter. For instructions on matters, please contact Magdalen Chambers via clerks@magdalenchambers.co.uk or by telephone on 01392 285 200.
