Tomato Rosemary Pizza

Pizza made at home. Simple and flavorful pizza I got from Gordon Ramsay's UCC. The fragrance of the rosemary just hits you when you open the oven doors. Really inviting you to just tear off a piece and bite into it.

Tomato Rosemary Pizza

The technique with this recipe calls for the pizza to be first cooked in a oven-proof frying pan and then placing it in the oven. This allows for the underside of the pizza to be well scorched (imitating the effect of those traditional wood ovens). You'll need a 26/28 cm oven proof frying pan.

Here's what you'll need for 4 pizzas:

For the pizza dough
15 grams yeast
500 grams bread flour
325 ml lukewarm water
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon caster sugar

Toppings
400 grams passata (tomato puree)
12 to 16 cherry tomatoes- halved (Or you can use large sliced tomatoes)
2 balls mozzarella cheese
About 8 sprigs of rosemary
Extra Virgin olive oil for drizzling.
Pepper for seasoning.


Steps:

1. Mix the yeast, sugar and water in a bowl/jar and stir. Leave for a few minutes

2. Mix salt and flour in a large mixing bowl

3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, gently pour in the olive oil followed by the yeast mixture. Gradually fold the flour into the liquid using a spatula or similar device. Continue to fold gently, until you almost get a dough. At this point, remove from the bowl onto a floured work surface and start mixing with your hands, to ensure the ingredients are mixed well.

4. Clean out the mixing bowl and then flour it. Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with a tea towel or foil. Allow it to proof for an hour or so. (till it doubles in size)

5. Beat out the air from the dough. Remove the dough from the bowl and onto a floured work surface. Knead of another 1-2 minutes to ensure most of the air is out. Divide into 4 portions. Wrap with cling warp and chill in the fridge if not using immediately.

6. With a floured rolling pin, roll out one portion of the dough until is flattened and around the same size as your pan.

7. Over medium heat, add some oil to the pan. Then place the flattened pizza dough onto the pan and cook the dough until it starts to bubble slightly and the base begins to crisp. Should take 6 minutes, give or take.

8. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of passata over the pizza dough and spread it around. Tear about half a mozzarella ball for each pizza. Tearing each half to about 4-5 pieces and place them randomly on the pizza, followed by the cherry tomatoes. Season generously with pepper and scatter rosemary leave over the pizza. Drizzle some olive oil over the pizza. (lower the heat if you want to work slowly for this step, to prevent burning)

9. Transfer the whole pan into the pre-heated oven, set to grill mode. Grill for about 4-6 minutes till the cheese is nicely caramelized and the dough is nicely browned around the edges.

10. Slide out onto a large cutting board or plate and serve.