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Saturday, 05 December 2009 18:02 |
POTATO PIZZA
Sound bizarre? This is an authentic Italian pizza. We first ate it in Rome at a hole-in-the-wall pizzeria a few streets away from the Pantheon. There was a queue out the door into the street, so we knew it had to be good, especially as most of the hungry queue-ers appeared to be locals.
On our last trip to Rome we went back looking for it, but couldn’t find it, so in desperation I have devised my own version, which like all good recreations possibly bears only a faint resemblance – but we like it.
Last time I made this pizza, a couple of weeks ago, I used my regular bread recipe, but tossed in a tablespoon or two of dried rosemary to the mix. My children always beg for rosemary bread when I am baking, even though they are now grown-up. It has the most fragrant smell when first out of the oven.
bread dough
hummus (optional)
grated parmesan cheese, if liked
1/2 onion, very finely sliced
1 medium potato, very thinly cut (use a mandolin or food processor)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
fresh or dried rosemary to taste
anchovies (optional)
shaved parmesan cheese
Roll out enough risen bread dough to cover a large greased pizza tray. Put some oil on your hands to gently stretch and shape it to size. Let it rest while you gather the other ingredients. Spread the centre of the dough base with hummus if liked, or scatter with parmesan cheese. Arrange the onion slices on top, then carefully arrange the potato slices on top of this. Spread them out. You don’t want too thick a layer as they won’t cook in time. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with rosemary. Arrange a few anchovies around the pizza if desired. Top with some shaved parmesan to taste and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil if liked.
Bake in a preheated very hot oven. Mine goes to 300C and I start it there then after about three minutes, turn it down to 200C. Bake for 10 minutes or more (depending on your oven heat) until the base is browned and the potato is cooked.
No, there is no picture. It smelt too good and we were too hungry!
My tip for cutting pizza? Use kitchen scissors. Much easier.
*Photo: Tipico Trattoria Pizzeria, 86 Great North Rd, Five Dock, 02 9713 5122.
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