Any pizza is great, but when scattered with oyster mushrooms, garlic and Parmesan, it becomes a match made in heaven!
Oyster mushroom, blanco pizza
Makes 4 medium pizzas
Ingredients
Dough
15g dried yeast
400g strong plain flour
1½ tsp sea salt
240ml water
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Topping
50g parmesan or pecorino cheese, shaved thinly
150g oyster mushrooms (fresh or dried)
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp lemon zest, finely grated
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
Combine yeast and 40ml water in a small bowl and stir until yeast dissolves. Add 2 Tbsp flour and stir until combined. Cover and stand in a warm place for 30 minutes or until foamy.
Place remaining flour in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and add yeast mix, 1½ tsp sea salt and 200ml water. Mix together, then knead on a lightly floured work surface for 10 minutes or use a dough hook with your electric mixer until smooth and elastic. Divide into four and place on a greased oven tray, brush with oil, cover with a tea towel and stand in a warm place for two hours or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, make the topping.
If using dried mushrooms, pour over enough boiling water to cover them and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and pull apart.
Add 1 Tbsp butter to frypan and add fresh or dried (soaked and drained) mushrooms and cook briefly until tender (1-2 minutes), season lightly. Set aside.
For the topping combine garlic, lemon zest, thyme and 2 tsp sea salt in a mortar and, using a pestle, pound to a paste. Add olive oil and season with ground black pepper.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out a quarter of the dough to a 25cm round and scatter with cheese, mushrooms and drizzle with a little of the garlic, lemon and thyme oil. Cook on a preheated pizza stone or heavy oven tray at 250degC for 10 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately.
• Alison Lambert, chef at the Otago Farmers Market, will demonstrate this recipe at the market on Saturday morning.
