Ingredients:

For the base

• 650 grams OO grade Italian flour
• 1 tbs dried active yeast
• 2 tbs Olive Oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 400 ml water

• 1 small tin concentrated tomato
• 1 tbs water
• 3 tbs Olive Oil
• 3 large balls mozerella
• big bunch basil
• 4 large slices of good Parma Ham

Preparation:

To make the base.

Like my bread recipe: add the yeast to the water and leave for 5 minutes to dissolve. Stir well. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the water. Add the olive oil and mix well into the yeasted water with a fork. Stir in the flour then kneed to a firm, springy dough - about 10 minutes. Cover with a cloth and leave for an hour and a half to double in size.

For the Top:

Empty the concentrated tomato into a bowl. Stir in the oil and water.


Making the pizza.

One thing to note. Pizza bases do NOT need to prove!

Turn on your oven to 220° or higher if it will go there!

Divide your pizza dough into 5 - we are making 4 pizzas and some extra dough balls. For the pizzas roll each portion into a very large circle, nice and thin - about 4 or 5 mill. Spread each pizza with a thin spread of the tomato concentrate mix using the back of a spoon. Break the Buffalo Mozzarella into grape size lumps and scatter across the pizzas. Lay 1 slice of the Parma Ham on each pizza. Tear up the basil leaves and scatter liberally.

Using a thin pourer, dribble a little olive oil over each pizza - a bit of trial an error will tell you how much you prefer.

PUt the pizzas in the oven for about 10 minutes or less, until the cheese is well cooked.

At the same time, roll the remaining bit of dough into lots of large marble sized ball. Put in a small tin with a  splash of olive oil and fresh ground sea salt. Cook till golden.

And that is your lot!

Notes:

You may need to experiment with the oven time depending on your cooker. But always go for as high as temperature as possible. OO grade flour is the flour they use in Italy for pasta and pizza. I buy it in the UK on the internet in 20kg bags from http://www.nifeislife.com/ I know it sounds a lot, but if you get into pizza and pasta making you will get through it. Pick up fine semolina from them at the same time as you will need it for pasta and scattering on baking tins while cooking Ciabata! Toppings - keep things simple. In fact one of the best pizzas is the tomato base and the basil. Not even any cheese. It produces a very crispy pizz that is stunning! A plea from the heart - please dont eat at places like PIzza Hut and Dominos. What they sell really is rubbish and completely ruins the reputation of the proper dish. I think they should be banned from calling thier products Pizza! (And the Italians agree with me)