A bit of lateral thinking is required to produce a dough that will be thin enough for a pizza base and yet not fall to bits as it is being handled.
This recipe can be adapted to make pancakes or wraps to be used for filling and eating cold. For a sweet pancake, add some honey or maple syrup. The trick is to get the right sloppy consistency so that the mixture flows out thinly enough in the frying pan.
Ingredients | Makes 2 medium pizza bases
5g Fresh yeast
250g Water (30°C)
140g Corn (maize) flour
20g Buckwheat flour
50g Brown rice flour
40g Manioc (tapioca) flour
20g Chestnut flour
5g Sea salt
530g Total
Olive oil for brushing
Toppings of your choice, e.g. tomato paste, tomatoes, peppers, anchovies, olives, herbs, mozzarella or similar cheese
Method
Dissolve the yeast in the water and add to the other ingredients. The dough should be very sloppy, like a batter. Leave to stand for 15 – 30 minutes to allow the yeast to work.
Heat a griddle or frying pan, brushing with a smear of olive oil if the surface is not non-stick, and ladle in a good dollop of the mixture with a swirling action to make a thin, reasonably circular layer of batter. Cook over a high heat for about 3 mins, then flip over and cook for another minute. The ‘pancake’ should be cooked but still quite soft and floppy. If your mixture was too thick your pizza base will be also.
Turn the pizza base out on to a baking sheet and cook the remaining mixture the same way. Cover the pizzas with the usual toppings. Bake in a hot oven (220°C) or grill for 5 – 7 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling.
This recipe appears in ‘Bread Matters: Why and How to Make Your Own‘ by Andrew Whitley
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