Quattro stagioni pizza

Recipe by Silvia Colloca

@silviacollocaofficial

Italian born food writer, TV producer and host, Silvia Colloca’s pizza recipe is easy and authentic with the toppings representing the four seasons.  Silvia used a pizza stone but you could also use a baking tray, but the cooking time will be slightly longer, just make sure the crust bounces back when pushed lightly and the bocconcini is melted.

Serves 4

Dough

2 teaspoons yeast

350ml lukewarm water

450g 00 flour

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon semolina, for lining base of dough

Extra 00 flour, for dusting

Topping

400g tin chopped tomatoes

2 cups brown mushrooms, thinly sliced

5 artichoke hearts, quartered

1 cup pitted black olives

180g bocconcini, torn into pieces

4 slices prosciutto

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn

Olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Sliced tomatoes, for serving

For dough, combine yeast and water and allow to activate for a few minutes until the mixture froths up.

In a large bowl combine flour and water mixture and mix well.  Add salt and knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth, adding a little more flour if needed but remembering this is a soft dough.

Shape the dough into a ball, place it back into the bowl, drizzle with olive oil, cover with a damp tea towel and allow to prove for 2 hours or until the dough triples in size.

Knock the air out of the dough, then reshape it to a ball, cover and prove at room temperature for a further 30 minutes.

Place your pizza stone in your oven.  Set oven to fan assist and pre-heat to 220⁰C.  Sprinkle semolina on a silicon mat (58cm x 48cm) and set aside.

Take the risen dough out of the bowl and place it on a floured bench, stretch into a rectangle shape and place on the mat of semolina, pushing it into shape, keeping the outside rim 1cm thick and the centre ½cm thick.

Spread the chopped tomato over the base, visually divide the dough into four and top each quarter with the toppings: mushrooms, olives, artichokes and sliced fresh tomato.  Season with salt, pepper and olive oil, being sure to lightly drizzle oil on the outside crust.

Using the pizza paddle place the mat directly on the pizza stone and cook for 12 to15 minutes.

Open the oven and carefully add the bocconcini and cook for a further minutes until melted.

Remove the pizza to a board and top sliced tomato with prosciutto and basil and more olive oil. Cut and enjoy, the hardest decision is which gorgeous piece to start with.