“I’m getting married in the morning!...”

The title of this pizza says it all really... I’M GETTING MARRIED! :D (can you tell I’m excited?!) Come 29^th April at 7.30pm at The Roman Baths in Bath, I’ll be saying my vows J I wanted to mark this occasion in the only way I know how – with a pizza recipe! Deciding exactly what to put on it was a challenge though – do I somehow recreate our three-tier wedding cake? What about the free-flowing prosecco at the reception? And don’t get me started on our sumptuous wedding breakfast J In the end, I decided to do a bit of a mash-up of our main course. Whilst the meat eaters get to tuck into some pork with apple cider sauce (a dish that is quintessentially Simon!), the veggies get to enjoy roasted red pepper and courgette tart with pesto and sundried tomatoes (something that’s right up my street!). So this pizza really is a union of two very different ends of the spectrum – and yet something which really works – is there a more perfect way to epitomise my relationship with Simon?!

To make the base for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

6 tbsp tomato purée

2 pork loin steaks

Drizzling of pesto (the recipe for homemade pesto can be found here)

Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

Method:

1. When the bases have finished proving, remove from the oven and turn the heat up to 210°C.
2. Cook the pork according to the instructions.
3. Meanwhile, spread the tomato purée over the bases.
4. When the pork is cooked through, spread over some of the pesto and chop up into bitesize chunks before adding to the pizzas.
5. Sprinkle over the cherry tomatoes and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
6. Buon appetito!

An egg-cellent pizza perfect for Easter :)

When you ask someone what their favourite time of year is, most people will say Christmas or their birthday – maybe the summer holidays if you ask a kid or a teacher?! For me though, nothing beats Easter. Odd I know, but I love everything about it and feel this holiday is wholly undervalued. Chocolate is in abundance but so too are colours! Beautiful flowers begin to bloom as the dreary winter gives way to the promise of a sunny spring and the hopes of a glorious summer. Baby lambs and chicks fill the fields as egg hunts get under way. So move over Christmas with your turkey and trimmings, pudding and mince pies, this one’s all about Easter and the most delicious cake of all – a Simnel cake.

To make the base for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

1 jar chocolate pesto (can be bought from Hotel Chocolat)

Generous helping flaked almonds

2 handfuls raisins

Method:

1. When the bases have finished proving, remove from the oven and turn the heat up to 210°C.
2. Spread the bases with the chocolate pesto.
3. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds and raisins.
4. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
5. Buon appetito!

Time for Tea

Afternoon tea surrounded by my favourite ladies at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London. Could there be a more perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon? I don’t think so. Especially considering I would dine on afternoon tea at every meal if I could and live in the St. Pancras Hotel if I could afford it! Alas, this is a once in a blue moon experience and one which I will endeavour to savour for as long as possible – so here it is, a pizza recipe I can recreate as many times as I like to act as a lasting memory of such a wonderful day.

To make the base for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

180g cream cheese

Strips of smoked salmon

Slices of cucumber

2 spoonfuls egg mayo

Strips of ham

Dash of sandwich pickle

Method:

1. When the bases have finished proving, remove from the oven and turn the heat up to 210°C.
2. Now, I don’t know about you but to me, sandwiches should be eaten cold. Therefore, so should this pizza. As such, once the oven has reached the required temperature, bake the bases for 10 minutes without any topping. Leave to cool.
3. Spread the cream cheese on top.
4. In one quarter, add the strips of the smoked salmon.
5. In another quadrant, top the cream cheese with the cucumber slices.
6. Repeating the process, add the egg mayo which can be bought pre-prepared in supermarkets.
7. In the final quarter, top with the strips of ham and add a dash of sandwich pickle if desired.
8. Buon appetito! 

Poutine Pizza

I’m not the most patient of people and struggle to wait for things I’m very excited about! I’ll always remember the night of Christmas Eve and the terrible time I had trying to get to sleep when all I could think about was if Santa was ever going to arrive with my stocking J Thankfully, I’ve got a bit better at waiting as I’ve got older – and I’ve had to be! I have to wait two months after my wedding day for my honeymoon to Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies. So to bide the time, I’ll just make some Canadian-inspired pizza recipes. I won’t be so stereotypical though as to go down the maple syrup route – instead, here’s my take on the Québec classic, Poutine – a dish of chips, cheese and gravy.

To make the base for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

180g cream cheese

2 large potatoes

100g cheddar cheese, grated

Generous helping of red onion marmalade

Method:

1. When the bases have finished proving, remove from the oven and turn the heat up to 210°C.
2. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into thin slices and boil until tender.
3. Spread the cream cheese onto the bases.
4. After draining. add the potato slices to the bases
5. Spread over as much red onion marmalade as you desire, followed by a sprinkling of the cheddar.
6. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
7. Buon appetito!

#WeAreNotAfraid

I like to think my blog posts are fairly upbeat (and hopefully at times, a little bit humourous!) Today though, it's more of a sombre affair. Instead, I'd like to dedicate this red, white and blue pizza to London and the British public who have once again shown their unwavering courage and resilience in the face of adversity...

To make the base for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

180g ricotta cheese

2 large handfuls blueberries

1 red onion, finely chopped

Sprinkling of thyme

Method:

1. When the bases have finished proving, remove from the oven and turn the heat up to 210°C.
2. Chop and lightly fry the red onion.
3. Spread the ricotta cheese over the pizza bases.
4. Add the red onion, followed by the blueberries.
5. Sprinkle over the thyme.
6. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
7. Buon appetito!

The luck of the Irish

So it’s mid-March and for many people, that can only mean one thing – St. Patrick’s Day! Personally, I’ve never really understood the furore that seems to erupt around the world during this national day (unless you’re Irish of course). Nevertheless, I do like flags and am somewhat of a vexillologist! Therefore, this year I have decided to buck my trend of years gone by and join in with the festivities by creating a pizza in the image of the Irish flag :)

To make the base for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

180g cream cheese

1 carrot, grated

1 small sweet potato

80g brie cheese

50g mozzarella pearls

Generous drizzling of pesto – to make your own, follow the recipe outlined here.

A handful of peas

Method:

1. When the bases have finished proving, remove from the oven and turn the heat up to 210°C.
2. Spread the cream cheese over the entire pizza base.
3. Starting from the left, cover a third with pesto and then top with frozen peas (don’t worry; these will defrost when the pizza is baked in the oven!)
4. For the next third of the pizza, top with the mozzarella pearls and chunks of the brie.
5. Cover the final third of the pizza with grated carrot.
6. Chop up the sweet potato into small chunks and lightly fry in a saucepan. Add these on top of the grated carrot.
7. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
8. Buon appetito! 

Nor-way Jo-sé!

So the wedding preparations are coming along nicely and I've feel like I've got passed the stage of stressful worrying and I'm now able to really look forward to everything that's to come! Last weekend, me and Hubby-to-be had a 3-hour indoor ski lesson in preparation for what I like to call our 'pre-moon'. Turns out, despite my negativity, I'm actually not that bad - a relief considering we're off to Norway at the start of next month to kick-start the wedding countdown! So this pizza is a tribute to Norway and their Scandi cuisine which is somewhat popular in our household :)

To make the bases for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:
6 tbsp tomato pureé
3 tbsp Kalles creamed smoked cod roe spread
3 eggs

Method:

1. When the bases have finished from the oven, remove them from the oven and turn the heat up to 210°C. Now, because for this pizza, I don't particularly want to cook my topping for 10 minutes - I'm going to bake the bases separately. So whent he oven's ready, bake the bases without anything on top.
2. While this is happening, boil the eggs in water for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the bases from the oven and spread the tomato pureé over them, followed by the creamed smoked cod roe spread. Those of you particularly hot on your Scandinavian food brands will recognise that Kalles is actually Swedish... but close enough right? ;)
4. Once the eggs are boiled, cool them in cold water before peeling the off the shell. Now for the fun bit! In your hands, squash the boiled eggs so they almost form crumb-like morsels - a technique I learnt whilst making egg mayonnaise as part of a summer catering job I had during my years at university.
5. Spinkle the egg on top.
6. To serve these warm, pop the pizzas in the microwave for 1 and a half minutes.
7. Buon appetito!

Pancake Day

Buttermilk, scotch, crêpes, blini... or if you’re from Finland: pannukakku. I love Pancake Day and it is a tradition I will vehemently follow every year for the rest of my life (even if I don’t end up sticking to Lent for the following 40 days!) There are so many different types originating from countries flung far and wide across the globe – and I haven’t even started on the potential toppings! Ashamedly I have to admit I haven’t been as inventive with my food combinations for pancakes (perhaps that’s my next venture right there when I’m all pizza-ed out??) and I still love the classics. Lemon and sugar will always remind me of my childhood whilst crêpes and Nutella will always take me back to school trips to France. Here though I pay homage to that good old American favourite – bacon and maple syrup!

To make the base for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

8 rashers of bacon

125g mozzarella pearls

180g cream cheese

Drizzling of maple syrup

Method:

1. When the bases have finished proving, take them out of the oven and allow to heat up to a temperature of 210°C.
2. In the meantime, grill the bacon rashers until as crispy as you like (remember though, they are being baked for a further 10 minutes in the oven). Dab off any grease and cut into strips with scissors.
3. Spread the cream cheese over the bases.
4. Add the bacon strips and mozzarella.
5. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
6. Before serving, drizzle a generous helping of maple syrup on top.
7. Buon appetito!

For Grandpa :)

I’ll always have fond memories of my Grandpa. He was one of the cleverest people I will ever come across, and yet he was practical too. Good with his hands, he was always making something – or making me laugh with one of his practical jokes! Most men as they age slow down. Not Grandpa though – if his driving was anything to go by, he was definitely speeding up! I often think about going up to Norfolk to visit him and Grandma in their little bungalow, welcomed by the staple first night meal of crab and spaghetti followed by orange jelly for desert. So this one’s just for Grandpa and all the childhood fun we had together J

To make the base for this pizza recipe, please click here.

Ingredients:

180g cream cheese

1x 170g tin of white crab meat

1x orange, peeled and cut into segments

125g asparagus

Dusting of chilli flakes

Method:

1. When the bases have finished proving in the oven, remove and turn the heat up to 210°C.
2. Snap the end off of the asparagus and cut them into smaller, more bitesize pieces. Boil in a pan until tender and drain.
3. Spread the cream cheese over the bases.
4. Drain the crab meat from the tin and add this to the bases as well.
5. Peel and segment the orange and place the pieces on top, followed by the asparagus.
6. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
7. As an optional extra, dust with chilli flakes before serving.
8. Buon appetito!

91 years young!

Hopefully I’ve inherited my grandma’s longevity genes – this week she turns 91! For the past 10 years, since my grandpa passed away, she’s been living at home with us. It wasn’t until very recently that she had to be moved into a home permanently. Before this happened though, I would quite often make her tea for her – creature of habits that we are, this never strayed too far from a ham/cheese and pickle sandwich and a (rather large) slice of cake... When you reach your tenth decade though who really cares about calorie counting?! ;) so this pizza is for you Olive – or Fanny Adams as you are affectionately known in our household J

To make the bases for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

6 tbsp of tomato purée

Strips of wafer-thin ham

100g cheddar cheese, grated

2 handfuls of pitted, green olives (or whichever variety you prefer)

Dollops of sandwich pickle

Method:

1. When the bases have finished proving, remove them from the oven and turn the heat up to 210°C.
2. This pizza is as easy as making a sandwich. Simply spread over the tomato purée and lay over the strips of ham until covered. Cover with the grated cheddar cheese.
3. Dot over the olives and dollop on the pickle.
4. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
5. Buon appetito!... and if you’re anything like my grandma, finish with a big slice of cake for dessert!

The 6 Nations!

February – the month of rotten weather and over-commercialised love! Nevertheless, for rugby fans across Europe, there is something we can look forward to! The 6 Nations kicks off and provides much needed escapism from the doom and gloom of winter! Every weekend, we pitch ourselves against our greatest rivals to be crowned champion and England got off to a good start in their quest to retain the title. And so this pizza pays tribute to all 6 nations involved in this exciting tournament: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy.

Ingredients:

For England: Mushy peas

For Scotland: 80g smoked salmon

For Wales: 1 Leek

For Ireland: Soda bread croutons

For France: 100g brie

...and for Italy: well the entire pizza of course!

To make the base for this pizza, please click here.

Method:

1. When the bases have finished proving, remove them from the oven and turn the heat up to 210°C.
2. Begin by getting a couple of slices of soda bread and cutting into cubes. Put on a baking tray and drizzle with oil. Put in the warming oven to toast.
3. Next, make the mushy peas. Boil 120g of peas until cooked and then add to a food processor along with a knob of butter and splash of milk. Blitz and then spread over the pizza bases.
4. Chop and fry the leek and add this, along with some chunks of brie.
5. Remove the croutons from the oven and replace with the pizza bases. Bake for 10 minutes.
6. When these have finished, add the salmon and croutons.
7. Enjoy a TV dinner in front of the rugby!
8. Buon appetito!

Happy Chinese New Year!

I had a lovely day on Sunday – me and mum went up to London to do some shopping J it was a grey day but we were having a wonderful time nevertheless! For most of the day we were in our own little world filled with tea stops and treats – it wasn’t until we were rushing back for the train home that I noticed a lot of roads were becoming cordoned off by the police. Sceptical me thought there must be some protest going on, until it dawned on me that the unusually high number of red dragons and golden lanterns decorating the streets must mean it’s the Chinese New Year! So let’s celebrate! Here’s a pizza befitting of such an occasion J

To make the base for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

130g pre-prepared aromatic hoisin duck (found in supermarkets)

Handful of grated cucumber

4 spring onions, sliced

Grated zest of one orange

Method:

1. This pizza recipe couldn’t be simpler – perfect to make for your Chinese New Year party! As all my methods start off, take the bases out the oven once they’ve finished proving and turn the heat up to 210°C.
2. Open the packet of the pre-prepared duck and mix with the hoisin sauce. Spread this over the bases and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
3. Whilst these are in the oven, prepare the other ingredients: grate the cucumber, slice the spring onion and zest the orange.
4. When the pizza is out of the oven, top them with these extra ingredients and serve immediately.
5. Buon appetito!

London 2012 Pizza!

The summer of 2012 was very special for me and for one reason in particular – the Olympics came to London. I’ve recently been thinking back on my time as a volunteer Games Maker as this weekend, I met up with a few of my old colleagues who were also there. We reminisced about our fond memories for the Paralympics where for 2 weeks; we got to be part of an amazing atmosphere in the greatest city on Earth! It was also where I would meet my future husband J also a fellow Games Maker; we were clearly very attractive in our Orange and Purple uniforms! And so this pizza flies the flag for that beautiful colour combination!

To make the base for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

250g mascarpone cheese

2x red onion

2 handfuls of chopped, dried apricots

2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks

Drizzling of honey

Method:

1. When the bases have finished proving in the oven, remove them and turn the heat up to 210°C.
2. Start by slicing the red onion and frying with the chicken chunks.
3. Spread over the mascarpone cheese, and top with the fried onion and chicken.
4. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
5. Before serving, sprinkle over the dried apricots and drizzle over a generous helping of honey.
6. Buon appetito!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Come every winter when I was a kid, I used to pray for snow so that I could get a day off school and go sledging with my friends. I remember the feeling of getting utterly frozen to the core and only eventually giving in and returning home when my fingers were actually burning with pain! Now though, the story is quite different. Now I commute. Now I pray it never snows. Alas, the weather forecast is predicting it for the end of the week. So to cheer myself up I’ve created a pizza recipe that provides me with the warming thoughts of those hot chocolates given to me after a hard morning of sliding down those snow-covered hills!

To make the base for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

250g mascarpone cheese

Strips of ham

Drizzling of dark chocolate

Sprinkling of chilli flakes

Method:

1. When the bases have finished proving, remove them from the oven and turn the heat up to 210°C.
2. Spread the mascarpone over the bases, recreating that heavenly image of freshly fallen snow.
3. Top with the ham and sprinkle over the chilli flakes to help warm you up.
4. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
5. Before serving, and if you’re brave, drizzle over some melted dark chocolate. Because, at the end of the day, chocolate fixes everything.
6. Buon appetito!

My Jen-Do Pizza!

So as the title of this blog post suggests, it's part 1 (of 3!) of my Hen-Do (or Jen-Do as I've taken to calling it). To celebrate my upcoming nuptials, I'm off to Barcelona with my family for a long weekend!! We haven't had a holiday together in over 4 years and so I thought it was high-time the Johannes treated themselves to some Spanish sun! Not sure the temperatures will be blistering in January but we're still all very excited nevertheless! And here is my homage to some Spanish cuisine... although I won't be labelling it a paella - we all saw what trouble that caused Jamie Oliver...

To make the base for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

6 tbsp tomato purée
Slices of chorizo
2 handfuls of cooked, peeled prawns
1x 285g jar of roasted peppers
3 eggs

Method:

1. When the bases have finished proving, remove them from the oven and turn the heat up to 210°C. This is a very simple recipe to follow as most of the ingredients have already been pre-prepared for you... 
2. The majority of the effort comes here. In a pan of boiling water, place the eggs for 10 minutes. Cool them in cold water until you can peel the shell and then cut each one in half.
3. Next, simply spread the tomato purée over the bases and on top, lay the slices of chorizo - the number is dependent on your tastes - in my opinion, the more the merrier!
4. Scatter the prawns, followed by the roasted peppers.
5. Arrange the boiled egg quarters around the pizza so that no slice will be without!
6. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
7. Buon appetito!

A salad for those who love carbs...

Now don't get me wrong, I love a salad. Caesar, Cobb, Garden... you name it, I'll probably like it! Problem is, they're never very filling! If I'm out at a restaurant and I order one for my main, my smugness over choosing the healthy option is soon overshadowed by a growling hunger later on in the evening! Therefore I have decided to combine two culinary feats so that you too can still feel proud for choosing a Waldorf salad - but also cunning for knowing that it will fill you up for longer!

To make the base for this pizza, please click here.

Ingredients:

2 sticks of celery
A bunch of grapes
A handful of lettuce leaves
A sprinkling of nuts of your choice, chopped
Mayonnaise in which to toss the salad

Method:

1. Bake the bases in the oven for 10 minutes at 210°C and then leave to cool. Because you'll be topping them with a salad, it's best they aren't piping hot to save runny mayonnaise!
2. Meanwhile, the salad itself can be made. It's so simple, all that's required is a mix of all the ingredients in a bowl with the mayonnaise - et voilà!
3. Top the bases with the salad and there you have it - a pizza fit for a health-conscious, carb-loving foodie!
4. Buon appetito!