The recipe I am sharing with you today comes from a well known British cook named Elizabeth David. She passed away almost a decade prior to my moving to the UK, but her presence and influence on British cookery was still, and still is, strongly felt.
This is a recipe I have had in my Big Blue Binder for a long time now and I wish I could tell you which Elizabeth David book it comes from. I want to say Italian Food, but I could be wrong.
I am assuming that is the book it came from because it is Pizza and Pizza is quite an Italian food. This Pizza differs greatly from the Pizza's we have come to know here in North America.
First there is the crust, which is not a yeast crust. And then there is the method of cookery. There is not an oven or pizza oven, pizza stone, or pizza pan in sight!
What you have here is a quick and easy pizza, with a baking powder leavened base that is cooked in a skillet on top of the stove. This makes it perfect for evenings when you don't want to heat up the oven.
This simple crust, rolled and then pan fried on the one side in a bit of olive oil, gets beautifully crisp on both sides, prior to topping it with a simple sauce, some cheese and your favorite pizza toppings.
Simple to make, it makes the perfect snack meal for two to three people. You can of course vary the toppings according to your own tastes and likes. These I have used today are not set in stone.
It also makes a terrific appetizer/nibble/snack for more people, served out on the patio with drinks, when cut into thin slices. That crisp crust holds up perfectly, and if you keep the toppings simple, it makes a perfect nibble that all will enjoy.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE PAN FRIED PIZZA AMALFITAN
You really only need very simple ingredients. My topping suggestions are merely that, suggestions. Feel free to adapt as you wish!
- 1 small red onion, peeled and chopped
- 8 thin slices of Proscuitto
- 7 ounces (28g) fresh mozzarella, cut into slices
- 3 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cup (170g) plain all purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- salt and pepper
- 2 tsp dried oregano, divided
- scant 1/2 cup water (100ml)
- 1 cup (225g) passata (pureed tomatoes)
- 6 - 8 anchovies in oil, drained (optional)
- 1 TBS small capers, drained
- a handful of stoned black olives
- fresh basil leaves
- light olive oil
Proscuitto is a thin type of Italian ham that lends itself beautifully to this recipe. Not only is it so thin that is is perfectly pliable, ready to arrange perfectly on top in a very artistic manner, but it also heats up beautifully in the short time needed without drying out.
I used Greek Kalamata olives. I love them. They have a rich and meaty flavor that goes very well with cheese and meats.
Passata is a product which is composed of sieved tomatoes and nothing else. They are thick and rich. You can use a pizza sauce if you would prefer. Simply use your favorite brand. There are quite a few ones out there that are really nice. I like Mutti.
You can leave the capers off if you wish, but I really love the salty briny flavor that they add to dishes. If you want them to be less salty, just rinse them off in running water and pat them dry. I used the small non-pareil ones.
I did not have a large ball of fresh mozzarella, but I did have a container of bocconcini, which are small fresh mozzarella balls. I simply cut them in half and arranged them over the crust. Worked a charm.
Her original recipe did not call for Parmesan cheese, but a pizza without some Parmesan just would not be a pizza to me!
I confess, I did not have any fresh basil to tear over the top on this day. The basil in the shops was appalling and chill burnt. I refuse to pay a top price for something that is essentially sub standard.
That seems to be all that we get here where I live. Sub standard fresh herbs. I despair. It is like that with a lot of things. I really think we are at the bottom of the Canadian food chain here in the Valley. Its terrible! I really miss the fresh produce I had in the UK. It was exceptional.
HOW TO MAKE PAN FRIED PIZZA AMALFITAN
This is really super easy and quick to make. You will be surprised by just how much!
Chop the red onion, cut the mozzarella into thick slices and tear the prosciutto into strips. Set aside.
Sift the flour into a bowl along with the baking powder and 1 tsp salt. Stir in half of the oregano. Make a well in the center. Add the water to the well.
Using your fingers, mix the flour into the water, working from the edges to make a smooth elastic dough that does not stick to the sides of the bowl. You may need to adjust with a bit of extra flour or water to get it right.
Knead on a lightly floured surface to get a smooth elastic dough. Roll out to fit the bottom of a large, heavy bottomed skillet.
Coat the bottom of the skillet with some light olive oil. (1/4 inch depth) Heat the pan over moderate heat until the oil is hot but not smoking.
Roll the pizza crust over a rolling pin and carefully transfer it to the hot oil in the pan. You may have to rearrange it a bit with a fork to make it lay flat in the pan.
Fry briskly for a few minutes until golden in color. Prick any air bubbles that appear with a fork and press down.
Turn down the temperature of the pan to medium low. Carefully flip the crust over so that the browned part is on top.
Whisk the remaining oregano together with the passata and some seasoning to taste. Spoon this over top of the crust and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
Sprinkle the onion and capers over the Parmesan, then top with the mozzarella cheese, dividing it equally. Lay on the Prosciutto, olives, and anchovies (if using). Tear the basil and scatter over top.
Cover tightly with a lid and cook until the base is golden brown and the cheeses have melted and the toppings are heated through. Lift out carefully using two spatulas onto some paper toweling to drain. Cut into wedges to serve.
As east as it was to make, I was really happy with the flavors of this simple and quick pizza! That crust was beautifully crisp and delicious. The toppings I chose were beautifully heated through and tasted lovely!
You can of course go with whatever toppings you enjoy on your pizzas, bearing in mind that it is not going to be heated through in an oven, but will be relying on the lid of the skillet to hold in the heat and warm them through.
Of course, if you use a skillet with an oven proof handle, there is nothing to preclude you from topping your pizza and briefly heating it in a hot oven!
Some other delicious Italian flavors I have cooked in my English Kitchen that you might enjoy are:
HOT ITALIAN HOAGIES - These fabulous sandwiches are a delicious combination of Italian cold cuts, cheeses and spicy hot peppers. I can't tell you how many times I have made these, always to accolades! People just love them. Simple to make and incredibly tasty!
ITALIAN LEMON CREAM CAKE - This is a favorite lemon cake I bake every now and then. With a rich dense, moist and yet light crumb, and beautiful lemon flavors, it needs no more adornment than a light dusting of icing sugar to pretty it up! This is an English Kitchen favorite!
Yield: 2 - 3
PAN-FRIED PIZZA AMALFITAN
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
A quick and easy to make pizza that is also delicious with a lovely crisp base that is cooked in a heavy bottom skillet. You can top with whatever you want. Thin slices of this also make a great appetizer.
Ingredients
- 1 small red onion, peeled and chopped
- 8 thin slices of Proscuitto
- 7 ounces (28g) fresh mozzarella, cut into slices
- 3 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cup (170g) plain all purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- salt and pepper
- 2 tsp dried oregano, divided
- scant 1/2 cup water (100ml)
- 1 cup (225g) passata (pureed tomatoes)
- 6 - 8 anchovies in oil, drained (optional)
- 1 TBS small capers, drained
- a handful of stoned black olives
- fresh basil leaves
- light olive oil
Instructions
- Chop the red onion, cut the mozzarella into thick slices and tear the prosciutto into strips. Set aside.
- Sift the flour into a bowl along with the baking powder and 1 tsp salt. Stir in half of the oregano. Make a well in the center. Add the water to the well.
- Using your fingers, mix the flour into the water, working from the edges to make a smooth elastic dough that does not stick to the sides of the bowl. You may need to adjust with a bit of extra flour or water to get it right.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface to get a smooth elastic dough. Roll out to fit the bottom of a large, heavy bottomed skillet.
- Coat the bottom of the skillet with some light olive oil. (1/4 inch depth) Heat the pan over moderate heat until the oil is hot but not smoking.
- Roll the pizza crust over a rolling pin and carefully transfer it to the hot oil in the pan. You may have to rearrange it a bit with a fork to make it lay flat in the pan.
- Fry briskly for a few minutes until golden in color. Prick any air bubbles that appear with a fork and press down.
- Turn down the temperature of the pan to medium low. Carefully flip the crust over so that the browned part is on top.
- Whisk the remaining oregano together with the passata and some seasoning to taste. Spoon this over top of the crust and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
- Sprinkle the onion and capers over the Parmesan, then top with the mozzarella cheese, dividing it equally. Lay on the Prosciutto, olives, and anchovies (if using). Tear the basil and scatter over top.
- Cover tightly with a lid and cook until the base is golden brown and the cheeses have melted and the toppings are heated through.
- Lift out carefully using two spatulas onto some paper toweling to drain. Cut into wedges to serve.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
You are so right about Maritime produce quality. I once talked to a farmer at a roadside stand in PEI and he told me that we get the 'leftovers' - most good quality produce fetches a higher price in Central Ontario...I get wee herb plants at Sobey's when they have them outside for 99 -1.99 in early June and grow them in pots on the deck in the summer. At least I have good quality herbs in the summer and then I dry what is left for the winter months. This looks delicious and easy to do with my grand-chilibeans!
ReplyDeleteI despair Linda! It just doesn't seem right. I try to use some of the farmers markets in the valley in season, but its pretty disgraceful to be treated like this when you think about it! I think this would be perfect to share with your grands! xo
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