Etruscan Pepperoni and Fennel Pizza

Makes 3 – 4 smallish pizzas

The Dough

Mix 500g strong white flour with 2 teaspoons salt and a sachet of dried yeast.

Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a measuring jug with 2 teaspoons sugar, then top up to 300ml with warm (not boiling) water.

Add most of the water mix to the flour and mix with your fingers until it comes together.  Add all of the water if necessary.  Knead for 10 minutes, then cover with cling film, punch in a couple of holes and put aside to rise in a warm place for about 90 minutes.

The Tomato Sauce

Put a tin of tomatoes into your blender with a teaspoon of dried basil or some fresh basil leaves and a clove of garlic.  Pulse until well blended.

If it’s too watery, simmer until it is slightly reduced.  Otherwise, just use it as it is.

Method

After at least 90 minutes’ rising time, divide the dough into 3-4 balls.  Roll out each one and stretch on a lined baking tray until flat and smooth.

Leave for a few minutes while you prepare your toppings.

The Final Flourish

Finely sliced green chilli, red pepper, fennel and slices of mozzarella.

Spread your tomato sauce over the bases, pop some chilli and mozzarella over the top, put 4-5 slices of Etruscan Pepperoni (Sainsbury’s TtD) over each pizza, then sprinkle over some fennel and red pepper.  Pour over a tiny drizzle of runny honey and olive oil before putting the pizzas into a very hot oven (200- 220 degrees) for about 7 – 10 minutes.

When they are completely done (bubbling mozzarella, browned edges, delicious smell – you know the signs), sprinkle with fresh rocket and basil leaves before serving.

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Flammekueche

If you roll the dough thinly enough, this amount of dough is enough for the whole family.  Use 2 big baking trays covered with a non-stick sheet.

Perfect served with a rocket salad and either a nice glass of wheat beer or a Riesling.

Stir together 500g strong white flour, a sachet of easy-blend yeast and 2 teaspoons of salt.

Put 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of honey into a measuring jug, and top up the jug with warm (not too hot) water up to the 300ml mark.  Stir.

Don’t be too eager; you probably won’t need all of the liquid.

Pour in about half of the liquid, then use your hand to work in a bit more.  Keep pushing and pulling the dough around the bowl until all of the flour is incorporated, adding a little bit more liquid until it feels right.  Don’t worry if it goes sticky.  It can easily be rescued with a bit more flour.  Knead for at least 10 minutes, until it forms a smooth ball.

Cover the bowl with cling film and leave anywhere not too cold for about 90 minutes.

Meanwhile, fry about 4 thinly sliced onions in one frying pan and a packet of streaky bacon (finely snipped with scissors) in another.  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Divide the dough into four pieces.  Flatten and work each piece with a rolling pin, then put them onto the two baking trays.  Make sure they are really, really thin.

Smear each piece of dough with a few tablespoons of crème fraîche, right up to the edges.  Sprinkle the bacon over the top, finishing with a generous flourish of onion.  You might want to grind some black pepper or nutmeg over the top.

Pop into a hot oven for 15 – 25 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Of course, you could turn half of the dough into pizzas or garlic bread.  Or save some for your breakfast bread rolls.  All that domesticity with one batch of dough!