PICKWOPS TOMATO BACON PLANT BASED PIZZA ©Cristiano Vitelli
For the dough
INGREDIENTS
300g Water
3.5g Fresh Yeast
500g Turmeric Flour
8g Salt
30g Olive Oil
Method
Start by making the dough. Place the water in a large bowl and crumble in the yeast. Whisk together.
Add half the flour and continue to mix with the whisk until a cream consistency is achieved. Add the remaining flour and the salt, whisk until you are able to use your hands then knead in the bowl for 5 minutes.
Add the olive oil and knead the dough on a clean surface for a further 5 minutes.
Divide the rested dough into 4 and shape each portion into a dough ball. Transfer to a tray, cover with a lid or cling film and refrigerate overnight. When ready to use, allow the dough to come up to room temperature for 2-4 hours before opening into pizzas.
For the cashew mozzarella
Ingredients
200g Cashew Nuts, soaked overnight
220ml Water
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
Pinch of Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Tapioca Starch
Method:
For the cashew mozzarella put the soaked cashew nuts in a strong food processor, add the water and blend until the consistency of light cream is achieved.
Add all the remaining ingredients and continue to blitz for 5 minutes.
Transfer the mix to pan and heat on a low to medium flame until thickened- about 5 minutes.
Transfer the cheese mix to a bowl of ice water- this will ‘set’ the cheese- and refrigerate until required.
For the Aubergine Bacon
Ingredients
10-12 Thin ‘rashers’ of Aubergine
1 ½ Tbsp Soy Sauce
Maple Syrup
Good pinch Smoked Paprika
Method:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees (150C).
Finally, the aubergine ‘bacon’. Lightly oil and salt a pan or tray before laying out the aubergine slices.
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until dry and browned.
Building the pizza
Preheat oven to 425 degrees (218 C) and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
To build the pizza, allow your dough balls to come up to room temperature for around 2 hours before opening them into a pizza skin. Roll out dough onto a floured surface and transfer to a parchment-lined round baking sheet. Add the pizza WITH the parchment directly to the oven to properly crisp the crust. Top the base with tomato sauce and a few slices of the aubergine bacon. Rip up some of the cashew cheese and add this to the pizza too.
Use the baking sheet to gently slide the pizza (WITH the parchment underneath) directly onto the oven rack. The parchment will help prevent it from falling through.
Bake for 17-20 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.
When the pizza is cooked, transfer to a plate and drizzle with a pesto or eat it as it is.
