Vodka Sauce and Chorizo Crumble Pizza

Method:

For the Dough:

Please note this recipe is specific to these timings and temperatures - 20 hours at room temp (RT) 21°c. Start mixing at 8pm the day before, to bake between 4-6pm the following day - 20hrs in total.

1. Add 90% of the water to the bowl and crumble all the fresh or dried yeast into the bowl, whisking gently to dissolve.
2. Add all the flour to the bowl.
3. Turn your mixer on to a slow mixing speed (30-40%) for 5 minutes or until fully combined. Add a little bit more water but not all of it whilst it mixes.
4. Once fully combined (or when there are no dry bits) cover the bowl and let the mixture rest for 30-45mins.
5. Once rested, turn the mixer to a slow speed, adding all the salt and all the remaining water, then increasing the mixer’s speed for a further 1-2 minutes.  
6. When it looks like the dough is becoming smooth, stop the mixer and let the dough rest for about 10 mins. 
7. After 10 mins, give the dough another mix for around 5 minutes. If the dough is smooth, remove from the mixer. If the dough is lumpy, let is rest and repeat this process until the dough is smooth. 
8. Once smooth, place the dough onto a clean work surface and gently shape it into a ball, gently tucking the edges underneath. 
9. Place the dough into a lightly oiled container, covering with a lid and leaving at room temperature overnight for around 12 hours to bulk prove. 
10. The next morning, turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide the dough into 6 equal portions (275g each), using a dough scraper or knife. 
11. To shape the dough ball, take each portion and fold the edges into the centre, rotating as you go, to create tension. Then place them into a small oiled tray and cover. For the best at home results, oil an individual breakfast bowl and place the Dough ball inside and cover it with cling film or a silicon cover. 
12. Leave the balls to prove at room temperature for another 5 hours, until the dough is soft, airy and slightly risen. 

For the Vodka sauce:

1. Preheat your frying pan on a low flame for 1 minute and add your butter. Once melted, add the onion, garlic and chilli flakes.
2. Gently fry for a few minutes on low heat, stirring regularly until the onions become soft, translucent and almost golden – don’t brown them
3. Add your tomatoes and tomato puree. Stir well and simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and deepen in flavour.
4. Pour in the vodka and stir, then add the cream. Mix until fully combined.
5. Simmer gently for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce is rich, smooth and a deep orange colour.
6. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. For a silky texture, blend briefly using a stick blender or food processor. 

Pizza time! 

1. Preheat the pizza oven to 400ºC -430ºc for at least 20-25 minutes.
2. Take a dough ball and place it on a lightly floured surface. Gently press from the centre outward, stretching the dough into a 10–12-inch round, leaving a thicker edge for the crust. 
3. To build the pizza, drizzle a swirl of olive oil to the base grate on some Grana Padano. Add the sliced mozzarella, then spoon over some strips of the vodka sauce – avoiding overloading. Then sprinkle over the chorizo crumble. As the pizza cooks you will get a lovely blend of orange sauce and white mozzarella patches that is pleasing to the eye (and stomach!)
4. Using a pastry brush, oil the crusts, finishing with a sprinkle of sea salt. 
5. Slide the pizza onto the peel and give it a final stretch, making a nice 12-inch pizza.
6. Give the pizza a shimmy on the peel to check it’s not sticking. If it is sticking, add a tiny bit of semolina flour under the offending areas and this should fix it. If your pizza has become mis-shapen whilst you shimmy, no problem, just gently lift the crusts, reshape back into a nice circle. 
7. Place the pizza into the oven. Bake for about 30 seconds until the base has set and the crusts have puffed up. 
8. Remove the pizza from the oven, placing it on a wire rack. Quickly grab the buffalo mozzarella and break it into 5 or 6 smaller pieces, placing evenly on top of your pizza. 
9. Return the pizza to the oven and cook for another 30-60 seconds until your crusts are golden brown or until they are a little charred – depending on your preference.
10. Remove the pizza from the oven, placing it on a wire rack just to cool a little, add a little basil leaf to garnish, then slide it onto a chopping board, slice, share and devour!

Share your experience with us and tag @calorgb and @dough_and_behold on Instagram!