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Recipe

Chilli, zucchini and mascarpone pizza with bresaola

Luca Villari gives you the tools to turn out authentic Italian-style pizza, just like the pros

  • 1 hr 30 mins preparation
  • Makes 4
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Ingredients

Pizza dough
  • 4 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 270 millilitre warm water
  • 420 gram '00' flour (or use high-grade flour)
Pizza assembly
  • flour, for dusting
  • 4 x 180 gram pizza dough balls
  • 500 gram mascarpone
  • 6 large vine tomatoes (thinly sliced)
  • 2 zucchini (thinly sliced lengthways)
  • 2 mild red chillies (thinly sliced)
  • 250 gram bresaola (air-dried beef available from delicatessens) (thinly sliced)
  • vincotto (available at specialty stores – optional)
  • 1 bunch picked rocket leaves

Method

Pizza dough with a mixer
  • 1
    Place the yeast, salt, sugar, oil and warm water in a large bowl and leave for 15 minutes. The mixture should become frothy.
  • 2
    Transfer mixture to an electric mixer with a dough hook, gradually add the flour on a low speed and mix till the dough comes together.
  • 3
    Transfer to a lightly floured bench and knead for about 8 minutes – the dough will become smooth and elastic. If you find the dough is still a little wet, sprinkle in more flour (the perfect dough is ready when you can poke your finger into it without any dough sticking to it).
  • 4
    Place dough in a large bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place to rise for 40 minutes.
  • 5
    Gently press dough back down, remove from bowl and roll into 3 x 180g balls. Place on a non-stick tray, cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise again for 25 minutes before rolling into bases.
Pizza dough by hand
  • 6
    Follow the mixer method but replace step 2 with: Place flour on a clean work surface and make a well in the centre, add the yeast mixture and gradually incorporate the flour until well combined.
Pizza assembly
  • 7
    Place pizza stone in oven, turn to 250°C and heat for 1 hour.
  • 8
    Sprinkle flour onto a clean work surface, roll pizza balls into 4 x 30cm circles and then transfer to a lightly floured pizza paddle or lightly floured oven tray.
  • 9
    Gently spread mascarpone on the bases followed by thinly sliced tomato. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, arrange the zucchini on top and scatter with chillies. Finish with the bresaola.
  • 10
    Transfer to the hot pizza stone and cook pizzas, one at a time, for 10–12 minutes or until golden and crispy. Take out and drizzle with vincotto, if using. Garnish with rocket.

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