How to make a very good PIZZA or FOCACCIA with a no mess in the kitchen recipe!

NO MESS IN THE KITCHEN! 

This recipe is simple and easy! If I could make focaccia, you can make it, too! Only very basic ingredients are needed and only a bowl, a wooden spoon and a pan! Even if I took a picture of the ingredients in cups and spoons, those of you who are not metric, please note you will find a list of ingredients in grams.

Ingredients for your easy to make pizza base or focaccia bread:

• 300 grams water
• 5 grams fresh yeast (the one you keep in the fridge) 
• 400 grams all-purpose flour  
• 8 grams salt

Dissolve the yeast in the water (plain and simple tap water, or bottled water, if you prefer) in a bowl. Put the flour and salt in the bowl.

Blend everything with a wooden spoon. After a few seconds, you will have a soft, moist dough. Add some extra virgin olive oil only around the dough. Cover with a plate and wait for 30 minutes. 

Pick some dough by hand and pull it to the opposite side, round and round. Easy. Add some extra virgin olive oil only around the dough. Cover with a plate and wait for 30 minutes.

Again. Pick some dough by hand and pull it to the opposite side, round and round. Easy. Add some extra virgin olive oil only around the dough. Cover with a plate and wait for 30 minutes. 

Again. Pick some dough by hand and pull it to the opposite side, round and round. Turn the dough. Easy, again! Add some extra virgin olive oil only around the dough. Cover with a plate and wait for 30/40 minutes. Almost there!

Heat the oven to 240 C°. Coat the baking pan, bottom and sides, with 2 tablespoons or more extra virgin olive oil. Lay the dough in the pan. Use your fingers or your knuckles to press and stretch the dough into an evenly flat round that fills the pan.

Then decide if you will bake a pizza, a focaccia fread or a stuffed focaccia!

PIZZA

When in Italy or in Tuscany, if you go to a pizzeria (we, at La Scuola di Furio have some very good around here to suggest you) you might notice long menus. At least 15 different types. See here:

Bianca / Focaccia

Pizza with olive oil, rosemary and salt

Margherita

Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil

Marinara

Pizza with tomato sauce, garlic and oregano

Diavola

Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella and spicy salami

Boscaiola

Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, sausage and mushrooms

Quattro formaggi (Four cheeses)

Pizza with 4 different kinds of cheese like: mozzarella, parmesan, gorgonzola and provola

Quattro stagioni (Four Seasons)

Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, artichokes, cooked ham, mushrooms and olives, where seasoning divided into four segments.

Capricciosa (whimsical?)

Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, artichokes, cooked ham, mushrooms and olives

Romana / Napoli

Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, anchovies and oregano

Pizza ai funghi

Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella and mushrooms

Salsiccia (sausage)

Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella and sausage

Salsiccia e cipolle (sausage and onions)

Pizza with tomato sauce, sausage and onions

Frutti di Mare or Pescatora (seafood)

Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella and seafood

Mare e Monti (Seas and mountains)

Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, half with cooked ham and mushrooms and half ½ mixed seafood

Vegetarian / Ortolana

Pizza with mozzarella, courgettes and grilled aubergines

Pugliese

Pizza with tomato sauce and onion

(Please note: no Hawaiian pizza. If there is Hawaiian pizza on the menu, just leave the premises! That's my advice at least!)

So you are free to use your favourite ingredients for your pizza topping. Please note that you can keep it simple. Pizza is more about the crust than the topping! So open your fridge and your pantry and check your favourite ingredients! 

So, first the tomato sauce, then your ingredients, then bake it for about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it! You want it to be golden brown, not burned, rigth? 

FOCACCIA BREAD

You might want to scatter some coarse salt all over the focaccia (not necessary, IMHO) and or rosemary leaves. Keep it simple! 

Bake the focaccia for about 20 minutes, rotate the pan back to front for even cooking, until the bread is golden brown.

That’s’ it!

STUFFED FOCACCIA

Bake the focaccia for about 20 minutes, rotate the pan back to front for even cooking, until the bread is golden brown. I wanted to give it a twist, so I cut it in half horizontally, while still hot (CAREFUL!), stuff with baked ham and Kraft Singles.

Put it back into the over for 3 minutes.

GNAMMMMMMMMM!!!