Pizza Vegetariana with Labneh and Basil Pesto

Delicious, crisp-based pizza topped with char-grilled vegetables and lashed with dollops of cooling labneh and pesto. Find a how-to video for this recipe on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRE4Fe8U70A

INGREDIENTS

For the Dough:

180ml flour
1 ½ ml salt
1ml sugar
4ml instant dried yeast
10ml oil
100ml tepid hot water
Extra flour for rolling

For the Toppings:

60ml Napolitano sauce or pizza sauce
100g mozzarella cheese, sliced or fior di latte
1 handful fresh basil leaves, torn
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grilled brinjals, to top
Grilled baby marrows, to top
Pan fried baby tomatoes, to top
Pan fried snacking peppers, to top
Labneh or soft ricotta, to serve
Basil pesto, to serve

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 210°C / Fan 200°C / Gas Mark 6-7. Warm a Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick 24cm Shallow Frying Pan in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

To make the dough: Mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast together. Make a well in the center, add the oil and warm water, mix to form a soft dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5-10 minutes until smooth, elastic and no longer sticky.

Place dough into an oiled bowl, cover and set in a warm place to rise. This should take approx. 20 minutes. Once doubled in size, knock back and knead lightly.

Roll out the dough into a 26cm circle and place inside the warmed frying pan. Spread the Napolitano or pizza sauce base over the pizza base leaving a 1cm rim around the edge. Arrange the mozzarella slices on top of the sauce and scatter over the torn basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until crisp and brown round the edges, approximately 20-30 minutes.

Top with your favourite charred vegetables like thinly sliced small brinjals, baby marrows, snacking peppers and dollops of cooling labneh with basil pesto.