Posts tagged caper

Homemade Pizza & Aperol Spritz

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Homemade Pizza & Aperol Spritz

H

ow could we go through lockdown without making our own pizzas? With banana bread ticked off the list and endless quiz nights over Zoom completed, pizza making was next and by far the most satisfying! This weekend, when date night rolled around again, we raided our local supermarket for Aperol, oranges and tinned pineapple and made use of that coveted yeast that my mum sent us in the post…turns out you can’t buy yeast easily at the moment unless you live somewhere very middle class like Wiltshire. Ironically we have the enviable flour so I’ll keep an eye out for a grey market for bakers in the local area.

Obviously feel free to top your pizzas with whatever you like! I am unashamedly proud that one of my favourite pizzas is a Hawaiian, followed closely by a Siciliana. This dough makes great thin crust which allows more stomach space for toppings.

Makes 2 large pizzas

Dough

  • 300g strong bread flour
  • 1 tsp instant yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Tomato Sauce 

  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Handful fresh basil
  • 1 large tsp chilli flakes

Toppings – choose your favourite! We made 2 pizzas as follows:

  • Pineapple pieces, parma ham, grated cheddar, parmesan and mozzarella
  • 1 tbsp capers, 1 can anchovies, 1 handful olives, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 1 garlic glove (grated), grated parmesan and mozzarella

  1. To make the dough, combine the flour, yeast and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and 200ml of tepid water. Using a fork mix well until combined.
  2. Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured worktop and knead together until you form a smooth elastic dough. Continue kneading for about 5 minutes.
  3. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place/worktop for 1 hour. (you can actually skip this step if you want and go straight to the pizza making esp if you’re after thin crust).
  4. Make the sauce by putting the tinned tomatoes in a saucepan and add the crushed garlic, chopped basil and chilli. Mix the tomato puree with about 150ml of warm water in a jug then add this too. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Taste and season and then blend with a hand blended. Set aside.
  5. When ready to make the pizza, heat the oven to 220 and put your baking trays in there to heat up – or your pizza stones if you’re fancy.
  6. Knock the air out of the dough and knead gently for a few minutes to form a smooth dough again before dividing into two balls. On a floured surface, roll one ball of dough as thinly as possible (about 25cm across) but the thinner the better for a nice crispy crust.
  7. Place the rolled dough onto a large piece of baking parchment before putting on your toppings.
  8. Top you pizza first with the tomato sauce and then with any toppings you wish.
  9. Remove the hot trays from the oven and carefully lift the pizza on the parchment onto the hot tray. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until crispy and starting to turn golden.
  10. Serve chopped with a jug of Aperol Spirtz!

Mediterranean Roasted Potato Salad

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Mediterranean Roasted Potato Salad

W

ith a holiday on the horizon it was time to use up the rest of the ingredients littering my fridge…I love this challenge.

Thats where the excellent ingredients that Odysea Greek produce come in handy – and ironically it was Greece where I would be destined for! Odysea sent me a glorious box of their devious samples last year and from this I have savoured some store cupboard gems, waiting patiently in the back of my cupboard until called upon and ready to pack a punch when called to the spotlight.

This salad was a mixture of fridge leftovers combined with a few cheeky purchases and of course, some glorious Greek flare. I used Odysea’s ‘Sun Dried Tomato Meze’ – a mixture of tomatoes, capers, and olives chopped roughly and combined in a gloriously flavoured oil. Similarily you can use the former ingredients alone and combine in your own combination but since Odysea did it so well, I figured I’d use their convenience pre-holiday….

T

his makes one large chunky roasted salad but feel free to sub in other ingredients to your taste. Serves around 2-3 as a side dish. I served mine with a lovely fillet of grilled sea bass, but some steamed or roasted cod with lemon and parsley would also be delicious.

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

  • 2 large potatoes, chopped
  • 1 x packet green beans
  • 3 spring onions, chopped
  • Bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice
  • 6 x large sun dried tomatoes (chopped), 1 handful olives (chopped), 1 tbsp capers OR 4 tbsp ‘Odysea Sun-Dried Tomato Meze‘
  • 10 slices thin chorizo OR 1/2 ring chorizo sausage, sliced
  • 2 handfuls rocket leaves
  • Olive oil
  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
  2. Start by par boiling your potatoes for about 10 minutes until just tender. Drain, shake in a pan to rough the edges and then tip into a roasting tray. Season and drizzle over a generous coating of olive/sunflower oil. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes until golden and crispy.
  3. Meanwhile while they roast, par-boil the green beans for a few minutes. Drain and cool them under cold water.
  4. Chop the spring onions, parsley and combine in a large mixing bowl with the  cooled beans, lemon zest, sun dried tomato mixture and season.
  5. Pan fry the chorizo in a dry frying pan until crispy.
  6. Once the potatoes are ready, remove from the oven. Top into the salad bowl with the beans and herbs. Add the chorizo.
  7. Finely, just before serving, add the rocket leaves and squeeze over the juice of half the lemon.
  8. Serve!