POP OVER PAN RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Trim and finely slice the chilli and spring onions. Peel, devein and butterfly the prawns. 2. Get yourself a large paella pan, casserole pan, wok or sturdy roasting tin. Place over a medium-high heat and pour in 3 tablespoons of oil. 3. Once hot, add the prawns and cook for a few minutes to allow them to colour, then sprinkle over the sliced chilli and spring onions. 4. Add the snow peas and give the pan a good shake, then add a splash of water. Pop a lid or some tin foil on top and let everything steam for 1 minute. Place a griddle pan on a medium heat to warm up. 5. Meanwhile, roughly chop the tomatoes. Remove the lid (or foil) from the pan and add the peas and tomatoes, then drain and add the beans. Stir everything together and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened. Season to taste. 6. Pick and roughly chop the parsley leaves, discarding the stalks, then add to the pan with the juice from 1 lemon, adding a squeeze or two more, if needed. 7. Grill the bread on the hot griddle for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until nicely golden. Divide everything between 4 plates, then tuck in. This is delicious served with rice or couscous, if you prefer.

Steps:

• 1. Until recently, I’d always seen this type of pizza as a slightly greedy way of bulking out crusts and toppings. I hadn’t realized Italian immigrants had cleverly adapted their old-world recipes to suit new-world coalfired ovens. Making pizzas in tins to protect the base from the soot of the oven makes perfect sense to me now, and I can honestly say that when it’s cooked and seasoned with proper love and care, I’m more than happy with this representative of the pizza family.
  2. To make your dough, pour 650ml of lukewarm water into a large bowl and use a fork to stir in the yeast, sugar and 1 level teaspoon of fine sea salt. Add your flour, bit by bit, until it comes together. You want smooth springy dough, so keep adding a bit more flour if necessary. Dust a clean surface with flour, then knead the dough with your hands. When you’re happy with the consistency, pop it into a flour-dusted bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm room until the dough has almost doubled in size.
  3. Meanwhile, put a lug of olive oil into a large pan on a medium heat. Add your sliced onions and thyme leaves and cook for 15 minutes, or until softened and golden. Take the pan off the heat and put aside. Put all the tomato sauce ingredients into a food processor or liquidizer with a good pinch of salt and black pepper and blitz to a purée. Have a taste and season carefully, adding a bit more salt and pepper if it needs it.
  4. Slit the sausages open and squeeze the meat into a bowl. Bash up the dried chilli and fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar, add these to the meat with the dried oregano and mix well with a fork.
  5. Preheat your oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Divide the dough in half and oil 2 trays (about 25 x 35cm) with olive oil. Use a rolling pin or clean hands to flatten and stretch the dough out. Roll or push the dough around each tray and really push it into the corners so you get a chubby crust and a base about 1cm thick.
  6. Divide your blitzed tomato sauce between the pizzas and spread around. Scatter over the caramelized onions and dot small pinches of the sausage mixture around the top of each pizza. Tear up the mozzarella and dot the pieces over the sausage, then sprinkle over the fresh basil leaves, sliced fresh chilli, a good pinch of salt and pepper and the grated Parmesan. Finally let your slices of pancetta sort of fall on to the pizzas so they curl and crisp up as they cook. Place in the bottom of the oven for about 20 minutes so the base gets nice and crispy while the top is cooking. Once your pizzas are beautifully cooked, serve right away with a fresh green lemony salad.