Cooking in Africa

 

Pizza in Deepest Darkest

So I’ve been visiting my amazing Husband in Mozambique, before you ooow and aaah wait. It’s not a resort on the beach. My husband works in a place called Chimoio, a 3 hour drive on very potholed roads from the beach. In the centre region.

So it’s Valentine’s Day and I want to make my Husband something special for dinner. There is an amazing Restaurant in Port Elizabeth called Mangiamo @ Wicker Woods in Walmer (041 581 1107), if you looking for a special night out and amazing pizza’s it’s the place to go. Thin crust Pizza’s with beautiful topping, ranging from Lamb Shank with mint, Prawns and rocket and many more. There are also loads of other amazing dishes in the menu. 

In Chimoio there is a Checkers and a Spar, not always well stocked but you can get your basic’s, there is a bit of meat and seafood but with black outs, one doesn’t like to chance it. Also a lot of the labels are in Portages so you not quite sure what you getting, can be a little scary. Although, at least you can see what you getting in the pictures. 

I’ve found an hopefully really nice pizza dough recipe promising thin crust yumminess , the dough can be frozen, this  recipe made 4 large pizza’s so, if you not making for 4 pop the rest in the freezer.

Pizza Dough Ingredients:

500g Strong White Flour

100g Semolina Flour (I didn't have so used white flour)

25ml Olive Oil

50ml lukewarm Milk

300ml lukewarm Water

1tsp Salt

7g Dried Instant Yeast

So Louise... the method is, in a glass bowl mix together Milk and Water,  hahaha no measuring jugs and I refuses to pay R150 for something I could pick up for R40 max, in South Africa. For my measuring I resorted to using a plastic container that said 80ml on the bottom and a empty tin of snails witch was 200g.

Sift (no sift) Flour and Semolina (no Semolina, so more flour) into a large mixing bowl ( I’ll make a plan) add the Yeast , Salt and the Oil, gradually add the Water mixture, mixing all the time until it forms a soft dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 4-5. The dough should be elastic.

Clean the mixing bowl and put the dough back into it, cover with a clean dish towel or cling wrap and leave to rise for two hour. Once the dough has doubled in size knocked back down and kneads again for 2min. leave it for another hour to rise again. Once risen divide the dough into 4 balls and roll each one out, on a floured surface (Yes my rolling pin is a wine bottle). Now it is pizza time! Top with Tomato Paste (please never use Tomato Sauce, all Italians will roll in their graves and will tip the earth off its axis.) I topped mine with roasted butternut and caramelized onions and three different cheeses.  Bake in the oven at 180 degrees  for  20min, very very yummy pizza dough, it was amazing not to doughy and not to crunchy, perfect.    If you not going to use all the dough balls, don't forget to wrap unused one in cling wrap and keep in the freezer.

So Louise... is back in S.A now missing her husband but keeping busy. hope you enjoy the pizza dough and get a little wild with your toppings, I think the secret is don't try put to many things on ,just 2 or 3 flavoursome ingredient and loads of cheese, goes without saying.

Till next time
xoxo
So Louise