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OVERVIEW

Here’s a trio of classic toppings – buffalo mozzarella, aromatic basil, ripe tomatoes – arranged on a homemade dough, a combination that promises to become one of your favourite pizzas.

INGREDIENTS

For the Pizza Dough (courtesy of Pizza Pilgrims)

  • 875g strong white flour
  • 500g water
  • 1.5g dried yeast
  • 25g salt

Topping

  • 800g can whole tomatoes, drained and cut into chunks
  • 500g assorted fresh tomatoes (such as yellow, beefsteak, cherry or grape)
  • 680g buffalo mozzarella cheese
  • Freshly grated parmesan
  • Leaves from 1 small bunch green basil

EGG Setup

Setup the EGG for INDIRECT cooking with the ConvEGGtor Legs down, with the stainless steel grid the Baking Stone on top.

Target Temperature is 300°C

Pizza dough
To make the pizza dough, place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. If using a stand mixer, set to speed 2 and allow to mix for 10 minutes. If mixing by hand, bring the ingredients together to form a dough then knead for 10 minutes, either way the dough should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with clingfilm and allow to prove for 1 hour. Once the dough has proved, give if another quick knead for 10 seconds and the divide evenly into 6 dough balls, they should weigh approximately 250g each. Depending on how many pizzas you want to make (one dough ball is enough to make one 30cm pizza) now is the time to freeze and dough you will not be using, place any spare dough balls into separate freezer bags and freeze until needed, once defrosted continue to follow the recipe. Place the dough balls on a lightly floured tray, cover with clingfilm and allow to prove again for at least 6 hours or even overnight, remembering to leave space between the dough balls for them to grow as they prove.

Topping
Place the canned tomatoes in a pan over medium heat on the stove top. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and form a thick, chunky sauce. Set aside. Cut the fresh tomatoes into slices or halve the smaller ones and set aside. Break the mozzarella into pieces and set aside.

Baking
Flatten each dough portion into a disk. Place a disk on the Dough Rolling Mat or a lightly floured work surface and, using a floured rolling pin, roll out into a circle about 6mm thick. Dust the Pizza Peel or sheet pan with cornmeal and transfer the dough circle to the peel. Spread the dough circle evenly with one-sixth each of the tomato sauce, fresh tomatoes and mozzarella pieces. Grate parmesan over the entire pizza. Gently shake the peel to make sure the dough is not sticking to it. Slide the pizza onto the preheated Pizza & Baking Stone. Close the lid of your EGG and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the edges are crisp and brown.

To finish
Using the peel, remove the pizza from the EGG. Tear the basil over the pizza and season with sea salt, cracked black pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.