Tonight has promised a rare relaxing evening at home for Povalicia. Picture me, wandering around the house singing along to Cyndi Lauper really loudly and badly, bathing in sea salt, lavender and sage fresh from my garden, dosing my skin up with shea butter and patting purry appreciative cats while I fuck around on the internets and watch telly. Lovely.
Still, I am somewhat listless and incompletely satisfied. I spend most of my days happy, full of whimsy and delight, but nothing sates me fully. Not even the excellent watermelon and tomato juice I downed today, or the beef samosa, or the two delicious plums, or the surprisingly perfect service station double cheese, steak and bacon pie, or even the gluten free hazelnut cookie to end all cookies of all time. Not even discovering the world's natural cosmetics mecca in an MGM grand style palace in downtown Marrickville. Not even a fabulous day of random adventures and laffs with my dear friend Tobin, bless.
Before I start getting too far into my Mick Jagger or Peggy Lee impersonations, I've decided to try posting another episode of my food blog. The therapeutic value of the catharsis of literary release is often touted, so let's give it a go.
I've also decided to make myself a pizza. Killing two birds with one stone, I'm now blogging about it, but I'm using pics and a recipe from some old pizza I made months ago. Partly because I can't be bothered taking any pics, and partly because I've got bags under my eyes from here to next Tuesday.
Pizza is very simple and magical. Especially when you're feeling a little empty and needing some fill. It's also cheap as, which makes it most eligible for povalicious status.
Now, I won't waste your time, because I don't, so I'll start off with the simplest version, which I make with lebanese bread, fresh from my freezer.* But if you'd fancy a try at doing it from scratch, which isn't that much harder, and is quite relaxing and gratifying once you've pulled it off like a champion, see my end notes.**
2 lebanese breads
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 slices pancetta
1 bunch parsley
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 cup grated tasty cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan
50g gorgonzola or blue castello cheese
2 potatoes, sliced as thinly as you possibly can
Olive oil, salt, pepper
Preheat your oven as hot as it will go. The hotter the better - pizza needs to cook fast. If you have a pizza oven which will go to 400 degrees plus, all the better (except that in all of my jealousy I will come to your house and steal your oven).
Lay the lebanese breads out onto a tray, sprinkle with olive oil, garlic and little daubs of blue cheese. Top with sliced potato, pancetta slices, cheese, then finely chopped parsley. Add a sprinkle of salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
Cook for 20 minutes or so until golden brown and the potato is soft.
Eat with relish and abandon. Feel better. Go and have a bath.
Other scrumptious topping suggestions:
(Please follow the K.I.S.S. rule and don't ever put pineapple or barbecue sauce on a pizza unless you want me to slap you)
#1 - 2 very ripe tomatoes, chopped, mixed with 1 tub of tomato paste, 2 tbsp olive oil and a handful of fresh oregano. Top with cheese and maybe more oregano. Cook.
#2 - As for #1, but before you put the cheese on, add some peeled green prawns, squid rings, raw shucked mussels and pieces of white fish.
#3 - Olive oil on base, then finely sliced potato, then cheese. Cook, then top with fresh parsley. This also works well without the cheese, with a light drizzle of olive oil and sprinkling of salt instead.
#4 - Olive oil on base, then roasted pumpkin, roasted garlic, cubed fetta, kalamata olives, then cheese. Cook, then top with lots of torn basil.
#5 - My all time favourite, the god of all pizzas and inspiration for this recipe:
Olive oil, garlic, oregano and gorgonzola cheese on base, then pancetta, then cheese, then more oregano. Cook in hot oven. Top with really fresh ripe figs that have been sliced and soaked in some delicious vinegar, and lots of rocket. You will die and go to heaven. But then you'll come back again, with a smile on your face, slightly bow legged. Yum!
Hot tips
* I use lebanese bread for pizzas because someone told me to once and all of the pre-made pizza bases that I have tried have been shit. And they are expensive. Forget them. The only exception to this rule I can think of is a really thin pane di casa one I found once, and honestly, lebanese bread is cheaper and better. If you freeze them you can always make pizza quickly whenever you're feeling forlorn or simply ravenous, or both, as they defrost in about 5 minutes in the oven. You can almost always get it cheap from your greengrocer.
** To make a pizza base from scratch:
Make a bread dough, leave it to prove, spread it out on a tray, add toppings, cook in a hot oven. That's it.
Jamie will tell you how it's done, he knows much more about this than I do. http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-and-pizza/pizza-dough
Or, if I have no yeast or time, I make a scone-like dough. Basically, for 1 pizza, get 1 cup of flour, 2 tbsp of butter and crumb them together with your fingers until combined. Add just enough milk to bring it together as a firm dough, then knead it quickly on a pile of flour until smooth (not too long). Spread it really thinly on your tray, covered with alfoil (otherwise this base sticks to the tray like a mf). Cook it in your hot oven for about 5 minutes, then take it out and let it cool before you add your toppings.
*** Pizza may make you fat. This is not so bad. My only other disclaimer about this whole recipe is, as you can plainly see, pizza can make you angry. Don't be angry. Be careful, people. Look after each other.
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