FIRE ROASTED MARGHERITA PIZZA

This recipe is inspired by the flavours of wood oven pizzas. Create a high temperature fire in our charcoal barbecues to get bubbly, crispy bases. With the addition of a wood chunk to the charcoal it will taste just like a wood oven pizza.

Ingredients
  • 250 grams buffalo mozzarella, roughly torn
  • 1 punnet cherry tomatoes (approx. 16)
  • Basil leaves, to garnish

DOUGH

  • 7 grams dried yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 325 millilitres tepid water (approx. 40°C)
  • 400 grams pizza flour or Tipo OO flour (approx. 3 cups)
  • 100 grams fine semolina (approx. 3/4 cup), plus extra for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

SAUCE

  • 400 grams tin crushed tomatoes
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
  • Make the dough by mixing the yeast, sugar and water in a jug. Set the mixture aside for 5 minutes, or until it starts to become frothy. Place the flour, semolina and salt in a large bowl, add the yeast mixture, along with the oil. Using your hands, mix together until a dough starts to form. Remove from the bowl and knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes, or until smooth. Place the dough in a floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Rest in a warm spot, and leave until the dough has doubled in size, approximately 60 minutes.
  • Make the sauce by placing all the ingredients in a saucepan, and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce has cooked, remove from the heat and leave to cool
  • Once the dough has risen divide the mixture into two equal portions. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to the size of the pizza stone. Place the pizza base on a piece of baking paper that has been generously dusted with fine semolina, this will help to slide the pizza off of the paper. Spread the sauce over the pizza and top with mozzarella and cherry tomatoes.
  • Set up your charcoal barbecue for indirect cooking over high heat (250°C to 290°C) with 24 Weber Barbecue Briquettes in each charcoal basket. Light the briquettes. Once lit, separate the baskets and set the cooking grill in place. Put the Pizza stone in the centre of the cooking grill and preheat the stone for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the barbecue reaches high heat (250°C to 290°C).
  • If desired, add a wood chunk to the fire. Slide the prepared pizza (on baking paper) onto a board to transfer it to the barbecue. Carefully slide the pizza off of the baking paper, onto the stone. Bake each pizza over indirect high heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until the base is crispy and the cheese is golden. Serve the pizzas topped with fresh basil leaves.