Spelt Pizza with Red Onion and Goat's Cheese

I've spent quite bit of time over the past year experimenting with spelt flour. I always bake with gluten-free flour but have found that eating spelt bread or pizza, which I bake myself, doesn't cause the severe effects that other wheat products have on my digestive system. However, spelt pasta still doesn't agree with me. I guess more experimentation is needed on that one. 

Lately, I've been making a lot of the pizza with red onion and goat's cheese. The topping is quite rich though, so occasionally I'll swap it out for some anchovy and olive, or pancetta, parmesan and rocket. The variations are endless...

Spelt Pizza with Red Onion and Goat's Cheese



For the dough:
450g spelt white flour
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
250 ml warm water

For the tomato sauce
250g cherry tomatoes
1 garlic clove
1 handful fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g)
1 tbsp sundried tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp red wine vinegar

For the topping:
1 red onion, sliced into rings and caramelised in some butter
1 goat's cheese round, finely sliced
250g grated mozzarella
a few basil leaves

Method

1. For the dough:  In a large bowl combine the ingredients for the dough. Mix well and knead for five minutes. Leave in a warm place to prove for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Knock down the dough and knead for a further 5 minutes or until more pliable. Divide the dough into 4.

2. For the tomato sauce: Roast the cherry tomatoes for 20 mins on a 180C oven with the garlic, thyme and olive oil. Meanwhile in a separate sauce pan, fry the shallot at a low heat in a little olive oil until translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and sundried tomato paste and cook at a low heat for 20 mins. Add the roasted cherry tomatoes to the saucepan and cook for a further 10 mins. Add salt and pepper and the red wine vinegar and then remove from heat. Blend with a hand-held blender until smooth.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out or press out the dough using your fingers until very thin. Pre-cook the dough in a 220C oven until lightly golden (5 mins) and then flip the base to avoid having a soggy middle of the pizza. Spread a dessert spoon of tomato sauce and then spread out a few red onion. Cover with a handful of grated mozzarella. Place a few sliced rounds of goat's cheese on the top. Return to the oven and bake until lightly golden (5-10 mins) and the base is cooked.

Makes 4 very thin pizza bases.

Enjoy!


Clementine.

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