Pan Pizza with nduja, roasted red pepper and parmesan

Method

1. To make the dough, combine the flour, yeast, sugar & salt. Stir in the olive oil and milk. Gradually add water, mixing well to form a soft dough. I make this in my mixer, using a dough hook.

2. Mix the dough on medium speed for 4-5 mins. If kneading by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 mins until you have a smooth dough. Pop into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Allow the dough to proof until doubled in size, about an hour.

3. To make the sauce, cut the tomatoes into quarters. Finely chop the shallot and garlic and sauté them in a pan with a splash of olive oil until soft. Add the chopped tomato, tomato purée and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens to a soft paste-like consistency.

4. When the dough is proofed, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knock it back just a little. You will have enough for 3 decent sized pizzas, so divide it into three balls of dough.

5. Prepare your toppings. Wrap your mozzarella in a clean kitchen cloth and squeeze out some of the moisture. Roll the nduja into little balls, you want about eight per pizza. Cut the peppers into thin strips.

6. Heat a heavy-based frying pan on a high heat and turn on your grill to its highest temperature. Do not use any oil, a dry pan works best here. 

7. Dust one of the dough balls with a little flour and then use your hands to press it into a disc. Now using your fingertips, starting in the middle and gradually working your way out, press the dough into the size and shape for your pan. Keep a nice thick crust of 2-3cm at the edges.

8. Pick up the dough and little shake off any excess flour. Pop it onto the hot pan and stretch it out a little if needed, carefully though as the pan will be very hot. Add the sauce, using a spoon to spread it across the pizza base. Do not overload the pizza, spread the sauce evenly, leaving about 2cm of the edge sauce free so it can rise and give you a lovely crisp crust.

9. Tear and scatter the mozzarella evenly on top of the sauce. Scatter some nduja across the pie and add the roasted red pepper. Cook the pizza in the pan on a high heat until the base is crisp and brown, about three to four minutes. Check the pizza base after a few minutes to make sure it does not start to burn. When the base of crisp and brown, transfer the pan to the grill and cook for another three to five minutes, until it is cooked on top. Your crust should rise and turn lovely and brown.

10. Keep an eye on the pizza under the grill, as it can cook faster than you might imagine. I cook mine under the grill on the middle shelf of my oven which works beautifully. Take the pizza out of the oven and finish some shavings of parmesan cheese, I use my vegetable peeler to make these, and finally, some fresh basil.