Fennel Taleggio Pizza Food

POTATO FENNEL PIZZA

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a large pot with enough cold water to cover by 2 inches; add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes can just be pierced with a fork, 10 to 25 minutes depending on their size. Drain and let them sit to dry out until they're cool enough to handle. Slice the potatoes as thin as you can manage, at most 1/4-inch-thick; transfer the potato slices to a bowl and gently toss with the lemon juice and zest, 4 tablespoons oil, and lots of salt and pepper.
• Put the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add some of the fennel in a single layer, taking care not to crowd (you'll probably have to work in batches) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining fennel.
• Return all the fennel to the skillet and add the wine. Reduce the heat so the liquid bubbles gently and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the fennel is quite tender and the pan is dry, 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Heat the oven to 500 degrees F and put the rack in the lower third, with the pizza stone if you're using one.
• Prepare the pizza dough according to the recipe directions. Top each pizza with half the potato slices (it's okay if they overlap a bit), then scatter with half the braised fennel. Put one baking sheet into the oven or slide the pizza on its parchment onto the stone. Bake until the crust is crisp, anywhere from 5 to 12 minutes. Chop the fennel fronds, sprinkle half over the pizza, drizzle with olive oil, slice and serve. Bake the second pizza while you eat the first.
• Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Put all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, instant yeast, and salt in a food processor. With the machine running, gradually add olive oil and 1 cup water, taking care not to overmix. Continue to run the machine, slowly adding 1/2 cup more water, until the dough forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch, about 30 seconds. If it's still dry, add 1 tablespoon water and process for another 10 seconds, but make sure the dough stays only a little sticky. (Unlikely, but if the mixture is too sticky to handle, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time and process for 10 seconds.) Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead by hand until you have a smooth, round ball, just a few seconds. Put the dough in the prepared bowl, turn to coat in the oil and cover with plastic wrap; let rise until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
• Cut the dough into 2 pieces. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel and let rest until it puffs slightly, 20 minutes or so.
• Cut 2 pieces of parchment the size of large rimmed baking sheets (or pizza stone if you have one). Line 2 baking sheets with the parchment and, using floured hands, transfer one piece of dough to the parchment with the help of a spatula or pastry blade; put the other piece of dough on the second sheet. Let the dough sit for a few minutes; this will relax the dough and make it easier to roll out. Lightly press or roll each dough ball into the pan to about 1/4-inch thickness, flouring the dough only as necessary to prevent sticking. (If you're using a pizza stone, roll or pat out the dough onto parchment, 1/4-inch-thick, then transfer to a peel.) Press gently on the dough to readjust and flatten before topping.

PIZZA WITH SPRING ONIONS AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, preferably with a baking stone in it. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet, and add the onion and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the fennel and garlic, and stir together. Cook, stirring often, until the fennel begins to soften, about five minutes. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook gently, stirring often, until the fennel is very tender and sweet and just beginning to color, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped fennel fronds, and remove from the heat.
• Roll or press out the pizza dough and line a 12- to 14-inch pan. Brush the pizza crust with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle on the Parmesan. Spread the fennel mixture over the crust in an even layer. Place on top of the pizza stone, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges of the crust are brown and the topping is beginning to brown. Remove from the heat. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

PUMPKIN, FENNEL & TALEGGIO GALETTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Peel the squash, then halve and deseed it before cutting the flesh into thick wedges and halving them again to make quarters. Put the slices in a roasting tin with half the olive oil, the nutmeg and seasoning, and toss to coat. Roast for 30 mins, or until tender and a little caramelised.
• Halve the fennel bulbs lengthways and remove the tops and tough outer leaves from each piece. Trim the base and cut each half into thick wedges, keeping them intact at the base. Put the wedges straight into a bowl and toss with the lemon juice to prevent discolouring. Add the fennel seeds, remaining olive oil and some seasoning, then toss well. Spread the fennel in a roasting tin large enough to hold it in a single layer and cover with foil. Roast the fennel (at the same time as the squash) for 20 mins, or until tender with pale -gold undersides.
• Wash the spinach and cook in a covered pan over a medium heat for 1-2 mins. When wilted, drain in a colander and leave to cool. Squeeze the excess moisture out of the spinach, chop roughly and season. Melt the butter in a frying pan and quickly fry the spinach with the garlic for 3 mins. Set aside.
• Roll out the pastry to make the base of the tart, ending up with a piece measuring roughly 28 x 38cm. Put the pastry base on to a floured metal baking sheet. Create a border all the way round by lightly running a knife 2cm from the edge. Prick the rest of the pastry all over with a fork. Put a rectangle of baking parchment, the size of the inside of the border, over the pastry. Weight it down with baking beans. Knock up the sides of the pastry by holding a small knife at a right angle to the pastry and making small indentations to release the layers. This will give you a better rise. Paint the border with the egg wash.
• Put the pastry in the preheated oven and cook for 25 mins, removing the beans and paper after 15 mins. Take the partially cooked tart base out of the oven and, if the centre has risen, gently flatten it with the back of a wooden spoon. Turn the oven up to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Spoon the spinach onto the pastry, then put the squash and fennel on top. Distribute the cheese over the top, too. Put the tart back into the oven and cook for a further 25 mins. The cheese should be golden in patches and the pastry should be cooked and golden, but not too dark.

RYE PIZZA WITH FIGS, FENNEL, GORGONZOLA & HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• To make the dough, mix the yeast in a small bowl with 2 tbsp warm water and 1 tbsp strong white flour. Leave somewhere warm to 'sponge' for 20 mins or so (this dissolves and activates the yeast). Tip the three flours into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the sponged yeast, 1 tsp salt, sugar, oil and 290ml warm water, and mix to form a wet dough. Knead for 10 mins until satiny and elastic, then put in a clean bowl, cover with a cloth and leave to double in size for 2 1/2 - 3 hrs.
• Quarter the fennel bulb lengthways and remove any tough outer leaves. Trim the base of each, thinly slice with a knife or mandolin, then put in a bowl with the lemon juice so it doesn't turn brown.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions and a pinch of salt, and fry over a medium heat for 7 mins. Add 1-2 tbsp of water, season with pepper, cover and cook on a low heat for 10 mins until softened. Add most of the fennel, along with the fennel seeds and seasoning, and cook for 3 mins, stirring every so often. If the mixture is still wet, uncover and bubble off any liquid.
• An hour before cooking, heat the oven to its highest setting and put a baking sheet or pizza stone in to heat. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead it a little, then halve and roll each piece into a circle or rough square. Lift the dough and, while rotating, stretch with your fingertips until each piece is 30-32cm across and as thin as possible with a slightly thicker edge.
• Sprinkle two large baking sheets with semolina and put the pizza bases on them. Top each base with the cooked onion and fennel mix, then the pieces of raw fennel, leaving a 3cm border. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Put the halved figs on top and spoon on a little balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of sugar. Grind over some pepper. Carefully slide the first pizza onto the heated baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 8-12 mins until the dough is golden and the figs caramelised. Halfway through the cooking time, dot the pizza with the cheese. Scatter on the toasted hazelnuts and any reserved fennel fronds. Repeat with the second pizza.

CHEESES PIZZA

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone or tiles on the middle rack of your oven and turn heat to its highest setting. Let it heat for at least an hour.
• Drizzle the cream over the stretched dough. Break the mozzarella into large pieces and gently place these on the dough. Break the taleggio into pieces and do the same. Grind an exceptional amount of black pepper onto the surface of the pie, approximately 8 to 10 grinds.
• Using a pizza peel, pick up the pie and slide it onto the heated stone or tiles in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, approximately 4 to 8 minutes.
• Scatter the Parmesan over the pizza and serve immediately.