Cherry & Almond Pizza
Ingredients
- 345g (11oz / 2 3/4 cups) strong white flour
- 1 heaped teaspoon salt
- 15g (1/2oz / 3 teaspoons) fresh yeast; or 1 teaspoon dried active yeast
- and 1 teaspoon sugar; or 1 teaspoon easy blend yeast
- 158ml (6 fl oz / 3/4 cup) hand-hot water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 30g (1oz / 2 tablspoons) ground almonds.
Instructions
Put flour and salt in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix fresh yeast with a little water; put in a warm place until frothy. To use dried active yeast, wisk with sugar and a little water; leave until frothy. Add yeast liquid to flour with remaining water and oil. (To use easy blend yeast, mix into flour and salt before adding water and oil.) Mix to soft dough. Knead on floured surface for 10 minutes. Put in a greased bowl, cover; put in warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Knock back risen dough and knead dough with ground almonds. Oil a 30cm (12in) pizza tin. Put dough in centre and press out to edges with knuckles. Pinch up edges to create a rim. Topping 2 egg whites 125g (4oz / 3/4 cup) ground almonds 90g (3oz / 1/2 cup) caster sugar few drops almond essence 750g (1 1/2 lb) jar Morello cherries in juice 60g (2oz / 1/2 cup) flaked almonds 3 tablespoons Morello cherry jam icing sugar for dusting whipped cream, to decorate Preheat oven to 220C (425F. Gas 7) In a bowl, lightly wisk egg whites. Stir in ground almonds, caster sugar and almond essence. Spread the mixture evenly over pizza base. Drain cherries, reserving juice. Spoon over pizza, reserving a few for decoration. Sprinkle with flaked almonds and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until dough is crisp and golden. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat reserved juice and jam until syrupy. Dust cooked pizza with icing sugar and decorate with whipped cream and reserved cherries. Serve the sauce separately. Serves 4-6