Zucchini, burrata and rocket pizza with broccoli pesto

 

Harris Farm Broccoli and Zucchini Recipes | HFM 2021

Harris Farm Broccoli and Zucchini Recipes | HFM 2021

Once you master pizza dough making, you will never look back. Try this vegetarian pizza option with shaved zucchini, rocket, zesty lemon and toasted pine nuts, topped off with burrata and dollops of freshly made broccoli pesto made from raw cashews.

INGREDIENTS:

For the pizza dough:

  • 325ml Luke warm water

  • 2 tsp caster sugar

  • 7g dried yeast

  • 400g Pizza flour (strong white bread flour)

  • 100g semolina flour (or strong white bread flour)

  • 1 tsp sea salt

 

For the Broccoli pesto:

  • 1 Broccoli head (225g)

  • 1 cup packed Basil leaves

  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese grated

  • 1/2 cup (80g) raw cashews (almonds or pine nuts can also be used)

  • 1 garlic clove

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

  • 1 tbsp lemon zest

  • Pinch sea salt

 

Toppings:

  • 2-3 zucchini thinly shaved

  • 120g mozzarella cheese (add extra cheese if making all 4 pizzas)

  • 2-3 tsp pine nuts toasted

  • 4 small handfuls rocket

  • 1 lemon zested

  • 100g burrata (La Stella burrata) (add extra cheese if making all 4 pizzas)

 

 METHOD:

  1. Combine in a jug the luke warm water and caster sugar, stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the dried yeast and stir through. Allow to sit for 5 minutes while it starts to bubble and froth.

  2. Sift the flours into a very large mixing bowl, add the salt and make a well in the middle. Pour in the yeast liquid. This can also be done on a clean work surface.

  3. Using a fork, start to mix the two together gradually working from the centre to the outside, once it gets too sticky and hard using the fork use clean hands to mix together while bringing it together into a ball. A bakers scraper also helps if you have one.

  4. Place the ball onto a clean work surface dusted with extra flour. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it has a glossy look and a smooth springy texture.

  5. Place the dough ball into a clean mixing bowl lightly coated in olive oil. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rest for a minimum 1 hr.

  6. To make the broccoli pesto, combine in a food processor all of the pesto ingredients. Blitz well until it comes together as a paste. Set aside in a jar. The pesto will last in the fridge for a few days if you wish to make this ahead of time.

  7. Pre heat the oven to 240C and place a pizza stone in the oven. If you don’t have one, a round baking tray can be used instead.

  8. To roll out the dough: lightly flour a large clean surface and a rolling pin. Slice the dough into 4 pieces. Gently roll out one piece at a time into the size of a dinner plate. If the dough is too springy allow it to sit for a couple of minutes then finish rolling out. Don’t worry if it's not perfectly round as this gives it character. Place on a piece of baking paper or directly on to the hot pizza stone.

  9. Now it’s time to add the toppings: add thin slices of mozzarella followed by thin strips of shaved zucchini’s in curls using a vegetable peeler. Place in the oven to cook for 12-14 minutes or until the crust is golden and crispy.

  10. While the pizza is hot straight from the oven add dollops of freshly made broccoli pesto, a small handful of rocket leaves followed by a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts, lemon zest and burrata ripped up. Serve straight away.

  11. The dough recipe makes 4 medium pizzas, repeat the process for the remanding pizzas or the dough can be kept in the fridge.

  

Serve: 4 pizzas

Prep / cook time: 30 minutes with 1 hr dough resting time

Recipe by Bonnie Coumbe. See her website here & Instagram here.