La Mia Ricetta Pizza Preferita

Oh this is such a GIFT!

As I’m bringing to a close my blogging days soon, this penultimate effort is a pressie instead of my usual ramblings. Seeing as I love my blog readers so much, I’m going to treat you to the recipe of my favourite pizza:

Chicken and Bacon Melt

This recipe will make at least TWO large pizzas (or three if you prefer a thinner base) – so there’s plenty to share. Or alternatively eat one yourself and wrap and freeze (yes freeze) the others for another day!

For vegetarians, just don’t add the Chicken and Bacon, and ply the pizza with associated veg of your choice!

You will need:

• A breadmaker / kitchen aid type thing
• 1 cup of lukewarm milk (or water)
• 2 sachets of easy bake yeast
• Splash of olive oil
• 14oz strong white bread flour
• 1 packet of passata (sieved tomatoes) – or smooth tomato purée for a stronger flavour
• 1 pack of cooked chicken
• 10 rashers of back bacon (smoked is more flavoursome)
• 2 packs of mozzarella
• A dash of mixed herbs
• A splodge of BBQ sauce
• A pinch of onion salt

And, paraphrasing the words of Montell Jordan, this is how you do it:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°

2. Grease and lightly flourdust your oven trays (a stonebase will cook an even better pizza)

3. Add the lukewarm milk (or water) to the breadmaker pot and start a dough cycle (or if using a kitchen aid style mixer bowl, just start the motor running) – you will be mixing for 75 minutes all told

4. Add the yeast and the splash of olive oil

5. Add the flour. If you are so inclined (and have the time) you can sieve the flour first to make a lighter dough
1. If the dough appears a little sticky and wet, add a little extra flour to get a smoother consistency
2. If the dough appears a little dry, add a little extra water to get a smoother consistency

6. Cook the bacon (but not to a crisp) and place in a bowl

7. Chop up the chicken and place in a separate bowl

8. Tear the mozzarella into either thin strips or small chunks – and of course, place in yet another separate bowl!

9. After 75 minutes, your dough should be at optimum consistency to roll out and spread into the oven trays.  If you want to let it mix a bit longer, fill your boots, but I’d imagine you are getting hungry by now…

10. Add a generous spread of passata (or purée) across your dough – you don’t want to flood it, but you also don’t want to be seeing more dough than tomato!

11. Optional: sprinkle a pinch of onion salt across the sauce

12. Evenly distribute the mozzarella, chicken and bacon atop the sauce – in that order

13. Optional: sprinkle the mixed herbs, and squidge some BBQ sauce on to your now stunningly attractive mound

14. Cook for 12 mins initially – you may need longer, but you’ll know you’re done when the toppings cease to slosh around on top of the dough

 

Okay so presentation isn't my thing -
but who cares when it tastes soooooooooooooo good!!!
(By the way, the little one was for my toddler, who doesn't like BBQ sauce!)

15. Slice and serve!

If you love it, I’ll take all the credit you can throw at me!

If it goes wrong, I’ll insist it was never my recipe in the first place!

Buon Appetito!