Instructions: 5 G) plain white soft flour e 75) on salt on easyblend dried yeast )on golden caster sugar )oon olive oil 120 ml) handhot water

espoons cornmeal (polenta)

lalso need a pizza stone or king sheet measuring 14 x es (35 x 28 em).

the oven to its lowest setting.

ight.. once the dough has doubled remove the clingllm; now tip h on to the work surface and rte the air; finall)s knead briefly e cornmeal and shape into a ball

Pizza dough is made in almost the same way as the white bread on page 80 by hand or using a food processor except that you add olive oil and a little sugar to the flour mixture and there isnt a second ruing. You might consider making double the quantity and freezing half to make another pizza at a later stage. Just pop the dough after knocking out the air into a polythene bag seal and freeze.

Begin by warming the flour slightly in the oven for about 10 minutes then turn the oven off. Sift the flour salt yeast and sugar into a bowl and make a well in the centre of the mixture then add the olive oil and pour in the water. Now mix to a dough starting off with a wooden spoon and using your hands in the final stages of mixing. ape the bowl dean with the dough adding a spot more water if there are any dry bits left and transfer it to a flat work surface (there shouldnt be any need to flour this). Knead the dough for 3 minutes or until it develops a sheen and blisters under the surface (it should also be springy and elastic). You can now either leave the dough on the surface covered by the upturned bowl or transfer the dough to a clean bowl and cover it with clingfllm that has been lightly oiled on the side that is facing the dough. Leave it until it looks as though it has doubled in bulk which will be about an hour at room temperature.

Having made the dough and left it to rise preheat the oven to gas mark 8 450F (230C) along with the pizza stone or baking sheet. The next stage is to tip the dough bade on to a work surface that has been sprinkled generously with cornmeal to prevent it from sticking. Knock all the air out of the dough and knead it for a couple of seconds to begin shaping it into a ball. Then dust your rolling pin with cornmeal and roll the dough out to a circle that is approximately 10 inches (25.5 cm) in diameter. Then finish stretching it out with your hands working from the centre and using the flat of your fingers to push the dough out; it doesnt need to be a perfect round but you want it to be a fairly thinbased pizza with slightly raised edges. Now you can top the pizza with one of the toppings that follow.

This is the classic version of one of the most wonderful combinations of bread and cheese imaginable. You can of coupe vary the cheeses but the ones Ive chosen here are a truly magical combination.

First make the pizza base as described opposite. Then using a thick oven glove very carefully lift the baking sheet or pizza stone out of the oven and sprinkle is with cornmeal. Now carefully lift the pizza dough on to the stone or baking sheet and quickly arrange teaspoonfuls of Ricotta here and there all over. After that scatter the Mozzarella and Gorgonzola pieces inbetween and finally scatter the Parmesan over. Bake the whole thing on a high shelf for 10-12 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. You can lift the edge up slightly to check that the underneath is crisp and brown. Carefully remove the baking sheet or pizza stone from the oven again using a thick oven glove and serve the pizza on hot plates straight away.

four cheese pizza
Quattro Formaggio (FSufficient for a 10 inch (25.5 cm) base pizza server 2 1 basic pizza bast (see opposite) 2fi oz (60 g) Ricotta 2 oz (50 g) Mozzarella cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) slices 2 oz (50 g) Gorgonzola Pittance cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) slices 1 oz (25 g) Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) graced a little cornmeal (polenca) for dusting

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