Nonna’s Sicilian Pizza
When I was a young girl, I remember ringing my Nonna for her very basic pizza dough. She’d gladly share it with me over the phone and soon enough we’d be having pizza for dinner. I still use this recipe today and am always reminded of her as I’m mixing and kneading the dough for our family’s favourite simple, rustic pizzas.
I love to keep my pizza toppings simple like my Nonna’s classic ‘cucina povera’. Perhaps just olive oil, anchovies and light sprinkling of pecorino pepato for one pizza. And then for the second one, some lovely sugo di pomodoro, basil leaves, one minced garlic clove and a light sprinkling of pecorino pepato finished off with a drizzle of olive oil. There are so many possibilities. Simple, and delicious.
Serves: 2 Rustic pizza
Preparation: 1.5 hours
INGREDIENTS
2 cups plain flour
A 7g sachet of dried yeast
1.25 cups lukewarm water (approx. start with 1 cup first)
Pinch salt
Extra plain flour, just in case the dough is sticky
Olive oil
METHOD
Put the plain flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl and make a well in the centre
Add the yeast to the lukewarm water and mix well with a fork until dissolved
Add the yeast mixture to the flour and combine well with a fork until a shaggy dough is formed
Place this shaggy dough on a lightly floured surface and knead well until it comes together into a smooth ball. Add extra flour as you go along if you feel it is too sticky
Lightly cover the dough with some olive oil and place in a bowl and cover it with a tea towel
Allow the dough to prove for at least one hour or until it almost doubles in size
Your dough is now ready, and this quantity should make 2 medium pizza bases with your toppings of choice
Cook in a pre-heated 200 degrees fan forced oven until nice and brown on the bottom of the pizza (approximately 20 minutes - but check at the 15 minute mark)
