serves
4
prep
1 hour
cook
5 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
4
people
preparation
1
hour
cooking
5
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 500 g plain flour
- 2 tsp (7 g sachet) dry yeast
- ½ tsp white sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 350 ml lukewarm water
- olive oil
Topping
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup tomato passata
- basil leaves
- sea salt flakes
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 15–20 very thin slices lardo
Proving time 45 minutes
Instructions
To make the dough, mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre, pour in the water and mix with a spoon until it’s too hard to stir, and then finish mixing with your hand to make a smooth dough.
Knead for 5 minutes. Form into a ball, rub all over with olive oil, place in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 230°C or as hot as you can get it.
Divide the dough into two even portions, lightly dust with flour and hand-stretch, dusting with flour as you go.
Transfer each dough portion to a baking tray (approx. 25 cm x 35 cm). Brush with extra virgin olive oil and smear with tomato passata. Scatter basil leaves, salt and garlic over the top.
Bake towards the top of the oven for 5–10 minutes, or until darkened slightly on the bases. Remove from oven and lay over the thinly sliced lardo.
Cut and serve immediately.
Note
• Lardo is cured lard or back fat. It is available from specialty butchers and delis. In its place you could use some very fatty prosciutto.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
