KATKAT'S KITCHEN

Spanish Pizza With Serrano Ham is a perfect start to the week. Monday’s are a challenge for me I spend two hours in the gym, and have a two mile walk there and back, so when I get back at 19.00 I am ravenous and ready for a Spanish Pizza With Serrano Ham. The challenge came about because everyone in the house wanted pizza and they wanted a take away my challenge was to make a pizza faster than it took to order one in.

Obviously the pizza dough has to rise, so to start from scratch it takes longer, but I made the pizza dough earlier in the day. To make a good yeasty strong flexible pizza dough you need a strong flour, to get the gluten going and allow it to rise. I generally use a 0 grade flour which is good for breads and pasta and pizza. I always cook with olive oil, but when oil is heated there is no reason to use an extra virgin olive oil, save that for the salad dressing, a good quality Spanish or Italian virgin olive oil is fine. I go to Cordoba in Andalucia near my home once a year when the olives are being pressed and get a year’s supply.

It is never a good idea to roll out pizza dough I flatten it with my hand by bashing my knuckles against it, this leaves interesting dents which the tomato and cheese drop into a create thicker layers of cheese or tomato in places. Don’t be tempted to put the basil or parmesan on until the last minutes of cooking, because the basil will burn and the cheese will develop a hard crust.

The Spanish Pizza With Serrano Ham Pizza Dough

Ingredients

For the dough

1/2 teaspoon of salt
A pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon of dried yeast
140ml warm water
180g strong plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 Tablespoon virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing

Method
For the dough

To make the dough, mix warm water and yeast together and add the sugar. Sift the flour and salt onto your work surface, make a well in the centre and add the water mixture, with the olive oil. Use your hands to mix everything to create a sticky dough.

Wipe down your work surface with plenty of flour and knead the dough for at least five minutes, or until the pizza dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the pizza dough in a bowl and cover with a tea towel. Leave in a warm place to rest for at least 30 minutes until the dough nearly doubles in size.

At this point you can carry straight on and make the pizza topping you do not have to go out to the gym for two hours. Although in my book buffallo mozzarella is the best variety, it contains too much water for a pizza dough, it makes the crust soggy, however, if you really want to use it freeze it, then defrost it until it is not quite defrosted and squeeze out the excess water.

The Spanish Pizza With Serrano Ham Pizza Topping

450 passata or a home made tomato sauce
2 mozzarella balls, cubed
12 slices of Serrano ham (or use a good quality salami)
100g of pitted black pitted olives halved,
4 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
45g freshly grated parmesan cheese
20 fresh basil leaves
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220C.

Push out the dough by punching it and then dent it with yur knuckles. Place the dough on an oiled baking sheet. Spread the passata over the pizza bases and season with the salt and pepper. Top with the cheese, serrano ham and olive and drizzle with the olive oil.

Cook about 18 minutes or until golden brown.Take it out of the oven ad put the parmesan on to top and the basil and pop back into the oven.

Serve the Spanish Pizza With Serrano Ham with a bowl of salad with loads of black olives.

Don’t fancy a Spanish pizza with serrano ham try some ricotta dumplings

P.S. I won the Spanish Pizza With Serrano Ham challenge I had nearly finished mine when the delivered in ones came!

P.P.S Spanish Pizza With Serrano Ham dough came be made in a bowl, I just use the old fashoined Italian way straight on the work surface, saves on the washing up!