A Mediterranean Pizza featuring lamb sausage, goat cheese, zucchini, squash, and drizzles of balsamic and olive oil using Mr. Frank’s Seasonings Mediterranean Blend.
by Chef Mikel Anthony
This recipe is part of the Chef’s Roll Test Kitchen, in partnership with Mr. Frank’s Kitchen.
Beurre Blanc
INGREDIENTS
- 12.8 oz. (364 g.) Cold water
- 4 tsp. (18 g.) Salt
- 20 g. Fresh yeast (or 9.2 g. Active dried yeast, or 7 g. Instant dried yeast) *amend yeast quantities depending on proving time.
- 21.4 oz. (607 g.) “00” flour, plus extra for dusting
- Note: It’s also possible to cold-prove your pizza dough, a technique that allows the yeast to work on the sugars in the flour for longer, thus helping the dough to develop a deeper flavor.
- Mr. Frank’s Mediterranean blend
METHOD
- Place two-thirds of the water in a large bowl. In a saucepan or microwave, bring the other third of water to boil, then add it to the cold water in the bowl. This creates the correct temperature for activating yeast. Whisk the salt and yeast into the warm water.
If mixing by hand: Place the flour and Mr. Frank’s Mediterranean blend in a large bowl and pour the yeast mixture into it. Stir with a wooden spoon until a dough starts to form. Continue mixing by hand until the pizza dough comes together in a ball. Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead with both hands for about 10 minutes, until it is firm and stretchy. Return the dough to the bowl. Cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size. If using a mixer: Fit the mixer with the dough hook and place the flour in the mixer bowl. Turn the machine on at a low speed and gradually add the yeast mixture to the flour. Once combined, leave the dough to keep mixing to at the same speed for 5-10 minutes, or until the dough is firm and stretchy. Cover the dough with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size. - When the dough has roughly doubled in size, divide it into 3 or 4 equal pieces, depending on what size you want your pizzas to be (either 12 inches or 16 inches wide). Place each piece of dough in a separate bowl or tray, cover with cling film and leave to rise for another 30 – 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Kneading and stretching the dough: Our top tip is always to start with a perfectly rounded ball of pizza dough as this helps to keep the shape of the pizza base circular during the stretching process. 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 center, push the dough outwards while spreading your fingers, making the disc slightly bigger. Pick up the pizza 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 – you don’t want it to tear.
- Once the pizza 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 and bake in your oven.
TO BUILD
- Season sliced zucchini and squash with Mr. Frank’s Mediterranean seasoning and grill or roast in the oven. Toss ground lamb with it as well. Infuse it into your goat cheese for an extra pop of flavor.
- Cook the sausage and place the ingredients + a high quality olive oil evenly distributed over the dough. Cook in a wood fired oven and serve with additional olive oil and a balsamic reduction.
