Not Quite Nonna’s Meatball Pizza
MAKES 4 PIZZA DOUGHS
PREP TIME: OVERNIGHT
COOK TIME: 45 MINS
Ingredients
FOR THE PIZZA DOUGH
MAKES 4 PIZZA BASES
ALTERNATIVE: STORE BOUGHT BASES
600G PLAIN WHITE BREAD FLOUR
390MLS WATER
2G INSTANT YEAST
1/4 - 1/2 TEASPOON SUGAR (I FIND THIS HELPS FOR AN AIRY RESULT AS SUGAR AIDS FERMENTATION)
1 TBSP SALT
FOR THE MEATBALLS
500G GOOD QUALITY BEEF MINCE
2 TBSP BREADCRUMBS OF CHOICE
1 TBSP FINELY GRATED PARMESAN
1 EGG
2 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
1/2 RED ONION, DICED
1/4 CUP TORN BASIL & PARSLEY LEAVES, FINELY CHOPPED
2 TSP DRIED OREGANO
SALT & PEPPER (TO TASTE)
FOR THE BASIL OIL
1 BUNCH BASIL
3/4 CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
FOR ASSEMBLING THE PIZZA
2 TBSP STORE BOUGHT TOMATO SUGO (PASSATA OR CANNED DICED TOMATOES ALSO OPTIONAL)
1/4 CUP DICED MOZZARELLA
5 MEATBALLS PER PIZZA
1-2 TBSP FINELY GRATED PARMESAN (+ ANOTHER 1 TBSP FOR AFTER THE PIZZA COMES OUT OF THE OVEN
2-3 TSP BASIL OIL
OPTIONAL: TORN BASIL LEAVES FOR CENTRE OF PIZZA
OTHER
A LIGHT DUSTING OF FINE SEMOLINA OR FLOUR FOR YOUR WORK SURFACE
MORE FINE SEMOLINA FOR YOUR PIZZA PADDLE
Equipment
LARGE FRY PAN
MIXING BOWLS
FOOD PROCESSOR
SIEVE
CHEESE CLOTH
PIZZA OVEN (OR OVEN IF NOT)
PIZZA CUTTER
PLACEMENT PEEL
PIZZA PADDLE
Method
FOR THE PIZZA DOUGH
1. ADD YOUR WATER, YEAST AND SUGAR TO A LARGE MIXING BOWL, STIRRING TO COMBINE.
2. ADD YOUR FLOUR GRADUALLY, USING YOUR HAND TO COMBINE.
3. ONCE YOU'VE ADDED HALF OF THE FLOUR, ADD SALT AND MIX THROUGH.
4. FINISH ADDING FLOUR AND USE A DOUGH SCRAPER (OPTIONAL) TO SCRAPE DOWN THE SIDES OF THE BOWL (OR USE YOUR HANDS).
5. TRANSFER TO A WORK SURFACE AND BEGIN TO KNEAD BY HAND UNTIL THE DOUGH STARTS TO FORM/SMOOTH.
6. IF YOU FIND THE MIXTURE IS TOO STICKY, ADD A LITTLE MORE FLOUR AND VICE VERSA, TOO DRY AND ADD A LITTLE MORE WATER.
7. TO KNEAD CORRECTLY, USE THE PALM OF ONE HAND TO KNEAD THE CENTRE OF THE DOUGH AWAY FROM YOU FIRMLY ON THE BENCH AND THEN THE OTHER HAND TO FOLD THE DOUGH BACK TOWARDS YOU. CONTINUE IN CIRCULAR MOTIONS UNTIL A SMOOTH DOUGH FORMS.
8. COVER WITH A TEA TOWEL FOR 10-15 MINS BEFORE KNEADING ONCE MORE INTO THE SMOOTHEST BALL YOU CAN ACHIEVE. TRANSFER TO A MIXING BOWL, THEN COVER AND LEAVE THE DOUGH TO REST AT ROOM TEMPERATURE FOR NO MORE THAN 16 HOURS (I OFTEN REST MINE FOR AROUND 12 HOURS).
9. THE NEXT MORNING, REMOVE THE DOUGH FROM THE MIXING BOWL AND KNEAD ON A CLEAN SURFACE INTO A SMOOTH BALL (ONLY IF THE DOUGH HAS RISEN/EXPANDED TOO MUCH).
10. USING A DOUGH CUTTER (OR KNIFE IF NEED BE) DIVIDE INTO 4 EQUAL PORTIONS AND ROLL/SHAPE INTO A BALL.
11. PLACE INTO CONTAINERS, I LIKE TO DO 2 PER CONTAINER SO THE BALLS AREN'T TOO TIGHTLY PACKED. PLACE INTO THE FRIDGE FOR 3-4 HOURS.
12. REMOVE FROM FRIDGE AND LEAVE TO REST FOR 6 UP TO 8 HOURS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE BEFORE STRETCHING THE DOUGH FOR USE.
FOR THE MEATBALLS
1. PLACE ALL INGREDIENTS FOR THE MEATBALLS IN A MIXING BOWL AND USE YOUR HANDS TO COMBINE.
2. ROLL INTO BALLS, SMALLER THAN USUAL, ABOUT 2.5X2.5CM (ABOUT HALF THE SIZE OF A GOLF BALL).
3. ADD A GLUG OF EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL TO A FRY PAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT AND COOK MEATBALLS (IN BATCHES OR TOGETHER DEPENDING ON SIZE) FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES EACH SIZE UNTIL BROWNED AND ALMOST COOKED THROUGH.
4. REMOVE FROM HEAT AND SET ASIDE UNTIL YOU ASSEMBLE THE PIZZA.
FOR THE BASIL OIL
NOTE: THIS CAN BE MADE IN ADVANCE AND KEEPS WELL FOR SEVERAL WEEKS
1. BLANCH 1 BUNCH OF BASIL FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES (BOILING HOT WATER FOLLOWED BY AN ICE BATH).
2. STRAIN AND SQUEEZE EXCESS LIQUID FROM THE BASIL WITH PAPER OR A TEA TOWEL.
3. PLACE BASIL INTO A BLENDER WITH THE OIL AND BLITZ UNTIL SMOOTH AND YOU CAN FEEL THE SURFACE OF THE BLENDER HEATING UP.
4. PLACE A CHEESE CLOTH OVER A SIEVE AND PLACE BOTH OF THESE OVER A MIXING BOWL.
5. FASTEN THE CHEESE CLOTH CLOSED WITH A PEG AND ATTACH TO SOMETHING UP HIGH SO THE CHEESE CLOTH IS ELEVATED ABOVE THE SIEVE/MIXING BOWL (AND CAN DRIP THROUGH GRADUALLY).
FOR ASSEMBLING THE PIZZA
1. PREHEAT YOUR PIZZA OVEN (ONCE MINE GETS TO AROUND 400 DEGREES CELSIUS IT IS READY TO GO).
2. LIGHTLY DUST YOUR WORK SURFACE WITH FINE SEMOLINA OR FLOUR BEFORE BEGINNING TO STRETCH OUT YOUR DOUGH.
3. I LIKE TO DO A MIXTURE OF PICKING THE DOUGH UP TO STRETCH WITH GRAVITY AT THE EDGES AS WELL AS THROWING ON THE WORK SURFACE AND GENTLY USING THE PRESSURE OF SPREAD HANDS/FINGERS TO STRETCH OUT IN A CIRCULAR MOTION.
4. SCATTER SEMOLINA OVER YOUR PIZZA PADDLE AND PLACE DOUGH ON TOP (THIS STOPS THE DOUGH STICKING TO THE PADDLE).
5. ONCE READY, USE A SPOON TO SPREAD SUGO ALL OVER THE BASE OF THE PIZZA.
6. SCATTER MOZZARELLA BEFORE TOPPING WITH 5 MEATBALLS (OR MORE IF YOU DESIRE).
7. SPRINKLE WITH A GENEROUS AMOUNT OF FINELY GRATED PARMESAN AND PLACE INTO THE OVEN.
8. USE YOUR PIZZA TURNING PEEL TO ENSURE AN EVEN COOK.
9. ONCE READY, REMOVE FROM PIZZA OVEN.
10. TOP WITH MORE FINELY GRATED PARMESAN, A DRIZZLE OF BASIL OIL AND OPTIONAL TORN BASIL LEAVES TO FINISH.
11. SLICE AND ENJOY THE BOLD, SHARP FLAVOUR OF FINELY GRATED PARMESAN.
