Italian Antipasti Pizza

  • Preparation Time : 3 hours
  • Cook Time : 2 minutes
  • Serves : 6
  • Makes : 3
  • Difficulty level : Intermediate
  • Type : Main Course
  • Cuisine : Italian

Why not use the Lakeland Pizza Toppings Tray filled with a selection of your favourites, and let your family and friends choose any combination of meats or veg depending on their preference. We suggest loading up your pizza base with Italian antipasti pizza toppings for a veggie option, but you could also add Italian meats to the mix if you like. Parma ham or Prosciutto would work very well.

Made using the Lakeland Gas Pizza Oven.

Ingredients

  • For the dough
  • 300ml cold water 
  • 1/2 tsp dried yeast 
  • 500g plain flour 
  • 1tsp sea salt 
  • For the pizza
  • 400g can of plum tomato 
  • 2 plump garlic cloves 
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree 
  • 100g cherry tomatoes 
  • 2 balls buffalo mozzarella 
  • 2  small handfuls basil leaves 
  • 2 black or green pitted olives 
  • 2 artichoke hearts in oil 
  • A drizzle olive oil 
  • A pinch salt 
  • A pinch pepper 

Method

  1. Put the flour and salt in the bowl and mix the yeast into the water, use a dough hook or mix by hand until it comes together into a dough. Wait for a couple of minutes until you see little bubbles starting to rise to the top - this is how you know your yeast is active.
  2. Place your dough in a large mixing bowl. Cover tightly with cling film and then a tea towel. Place in a warm room and leave until the dough has doubled in size.
  3. When the dough has roughly doubled in size, divide it into 3 equal pieces. Place each ball of dough into separate bowls, cover with cling film and leave to rise for another 20 minutes, or until doubled in size again.
  4. While your dough is proving prep your all-important sauce. Drain the tomatoes & cut into small pieces with scissors. Finely chop the garlic & add to the tomatoes along with the tomato puree. Season to taste. And set aside.
  5. Before stretching and topping your dough, fire up your oven and allow it to preheat for 15 to 20 minutes. Aim for 450 °C to 500 °C (850 °F to 950 °F) on your baking stone. You can check this quickly, accurately and from a safe distance with an infrared thermometer.
  6. When the dough is ready, place the ball on a lightly floured surface, flour your hands and use your fingertips to press the dough into a small, flat disc. Working from the centre, push the dough outwards while spreading your fingers, making the disc slightly bigger. Pick up the dough and gently pinch it all around the edge, allowing gravity to pull it downwards into a circle. Neapolitan- style pizza bases are very thin, so you should be able to see through the base when you hold it up to the light. Take care when doing this, as you don’t want it to tear.
  7. Once the dough is fully stretched, lightly flour your pizza peel and lay the base on it. If at this point you see any small holes in the dough, gently pinch them back together. Once you’re happy with the base, add your toppings. To do this drain the mozzarella & pat dry. Brush the dough with olive oil & spread the tomato sauce almost to the edge. Scatter a few basil leaves & the torn pieces of one mozzarella ball then top with your antipasti!
  8. When your oven is hot enough, launch your pizza and cook it for 1 to 2 minutes, turning every 20 seconds to ensure an even bake.
  9. Remove from the oven, slice, serve and tuck in! To pimp it up a little before you serve, add some parmesan slivers or rocket & drizzle with a little more olive oil.

By | 6 March 2024