This fresh, homemade pizza is topped with courgette noodles, rocket and soft goat cheese.

Recipe and words: Michael Van de Elzen

Serves: 8
Time: 1 hour

This pizza reminds me of the old school deep-pan pizzas. I cook them in a shallow pizza tray, but feel free to use a frying pan. Try adding a little more oil around the edge while cooking for an extra-crispy crust.

Dough

prep time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

200ml warm water
10g dried yeast
9g sugar
115g wholemeal flour
250g high-grade flour
12g salt
20ml oil

METHOD

1. Place the warm water in a small bowl and crumble the yeast into it. Add the sugar and leave to ferment for 10 minutes.
2. Combine the flours and salt in an electric mixer bowl. Add oil to the fermenting yeast, then add this to the flour mix. Mix with a dough hook for 4 minutes.
3. Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover with a damp, clean tea towel. Leave in a warm place until it doubles
in size.
4. Knock the dough back and form into 100g balls. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
5. Roll balls out into pizza bases using a rolling pin. Place on baking trays or in pizza trays.

Lemon vinaigrette

Prep time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp honey
3 tbsp Grove Extra Virgin Avocado oil
pinch salt and pepper

METHOD

Whisk together lemon juice, honey, and avocado oil until combined. Season to taste.

Chunky pizza tomato sauce

Makes: 1 cup (approximately)
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 x 400g tin whole, peeled tomatoes
leaves from 1 sprig rosemary
1 tbsp honey
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

METHOD

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer for 15 minutes over a medium heat or until reduced by about one third.

Pizza topping

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 punnet cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
½ cup uncooked split peas
2 courgette
250g soft goat cheese
1 cup fresh oregano leaves
50g Parmesan
2 cups flat-leaf rocket

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Place the tomatoes in a roasting dish with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until the skins begin to burst.
2. Cook the split peas in boiling, salted water until tender, then drain.
3. Use a julienne peeler to peel courgette into long ‘noodles’.
4. Spread the pizza sauce over the bases, then add the split peas, dollops of goat cheese, courgette noodles, cherry tomatoes, and oregano. Finely grate Parmesan over the pizzas, season, then cook in the oven for 10 minutes.
5. Add more grated Parmesan after cooking. Garnish with rocket and the lemon vinaigrette.

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