I love summer. It brings with it warmer sunnier weather and al fresco dining with friends on mild dry evenings. The scent of honeysuckle and roses wafts gently on the warm breeze from the garden flowers. Not forgetting the aroma of citronella from candles with a dual purpose, ambient lighting and repelling insects. It almost feels like being abroad on the really warm evenings that we occasionally have. The best part or at least for me is the freshly homemade food which goes well with a tall glass full of mixed fresh fruit and refreshing pimms and freshly made cocktails.
What more could you want on a British summer evening with friends. How about freshly cooked pizza? Forget ordering in. Make your own. It’s so simple and you know what’s going into your food that way too. How else can you ensure the best quality and freshest ingredients?
DirectStoves.com is asking bloggers to tell them their favourite pizza recipes and yours truly was up for the challenge. I have lots of favourites but that’s just because I love a range of foods and flavours and can’t have the same dishes over and over. Fresh pizza is one of my loves especially when I can add a healthy slant to it. The only problem is I have a few recipes that I love but after a little consideration I decided to enter this gorgeous Mediterranean pizza recipe into the competition: balsamic onion, feta, serrano ham, sundried tomato and rocket pizza.
Looks amazing doesn’t it!
This pizza is actually healthier thank you think. I’ve been sneaky and used some wholemeal flour in the base.
Ingredients
For the dough
150g strong plain flour
100g wholemeal flour
6g dried yeast
5g salt
30ml olive oil
180ml warm water
For the Topping
2 medium white onions
1.5tbsp oil from a jar of sundried tomatoes
1tbsp soft brown sugar
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
115g feta
25g grana Padano
20g rocket
60g sundried tomatoes
50g Kalamata olives
50g serrano ham
Olive oil to drizzle
Method
Firstly prepare your dough.
Combine all the flours, yeast, salt, oil and water into a bowl and knead well. Transfer to a lightly oiled plastic bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave somewhere warm to prove. This needs approx. 2.5 hours to rise. It won’t rise as must as it would if it was plain white flour dough.
Prepare your topping ingredients. You don’t need long to do this before you take the dough out to cook.
- Place your pizza stone or baking tray in a preheated oven at 220 degrees and heat for 25 minutes.
- Slice the white onions. Heat a small pan then add the tomato oil heat for a minute or so then add in the onions and cook until soften and they have a little colour. Add the sugar and balsamic vinegar and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Wash the rocket, grate the grana Padano.
- Place your dough on a floured surface and roll it out a little in the shape of a circle.
- Remove your tray or stone (I got my stone from Eddingtons) from the oven and place on top of the oven, place the dough carefully on the stone/tray and press down to make it cover as much of the stone/tray as possible ensuring it is even.
Sprinkle over the onions, feta and sundried tomatoes and cook for approximately 16 minutes, the cooking time will vary depending on your oven. - Remove from the oven; add the olives, grana Padano, serrano ham, rocket then drizzle over a little olive oil. Place the pizza onto a chopping board, cut into slices and serve.
This is full of all sorts of goodness from fibre to zinc, iron, calcium, lycopene, vitamin C & D and more. Roughly translated it’s great for your bones, skin, hair, nails and more. Who thought pizza could be so good for you.
Enjoy!
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Great recipe. It sounds and also looks amazing!
Thanks Leanne, I love homemade pizza it’s so much nicer. Why not give it a try.
I adore adding some fresh rocket to my pizza – great recipe here! Love it.
What a tasty pizza! I would love a veggie version with Quorn ham and the feta and tomato.
This looks amazing – I think my kids would really love this. I can’t remember the last time we made a homemade pizza, so this would be a great recipe to get back into the habit
Have fun Kerry, it’s really easy to make.
I love Balsamic Vinegar, I’ve never thought to put it on a pizza before, and I just adore Serrano Ham. I’m no good at cooking but I’d help you out with the home made cocktails for sure! Sounds and looks delicious
Thanks Tanya, we love homecooked pizza and freshly made cocktails.
My bro loves homemade pizza a lot. Thanks for sharing this x
No problem, he should love this then it’s yummy!
Fab recipe Mel the pizza looks delicious and filled with goodness. Your little one looks like she is enjoying it too.
Thanks Joanna, that’s Mr Squishy, he loves pizza 😉
How tasty does this sound and look, I am definitely going to try and recreate it!
Have fun Charli, It’s very easy and tasty too.
Yea please!!! Cocktails and pizza!!! Perfect night in.
I really should start making our own Base.
Sounds like the perfect night in.
I love all the combination of flavours you’ve encorporated so yummy and healthy too
Thanks Margaret, this is a great pizza and simple to make.
Wow this looks amazing and my kind of pizza for sure because then I can pretend I am being healthy haha X
It’s not too calorific in comparison to many.
That pizza looks absolutely delightful. Love the addition of wholemeal flour too.
This looks AMAZING, can’t wait to try it, we love pizza!
Enjoy, it’s yummy and you can tweak the ingredients if you like too.
Looks a great pizza! I keep meaning to try and make pizza’s from scratch with the kids!
You should, they are easy to make and taste yummy!
Oh wow this sounds absolutely delicious and so easy to make! x