Pizza bianco {with an alternative base}

Over the last year with the rise in success of Deliciously Ella, Madeleine Shaw and the like there has been a lot of talk about cauliflower pizza bases.  Now I must admit that, along with what seems like most of the instagram world, I have actually tried cauliflower pizza base.  I was really impressed with the output in that I was able to turn the  humble cauliflower into something that vaguely resembled a pizza but {and it’s a pretty important but} it just did not behave like a pizza.  The taste was of cauliflower {yes, I know not a great shock}, the texture was very grainy and it was really really soggy {there’s just so much water in the cauliflower “dough” and no amount of patting with a tea towel could get rid of it}.  It didn’t even get close to passing the good hubby’s test.  So back to square one…

Since “cauliflower-gate” I have been on the look out for an alternative pizza dough – a chance to eat one of our favourite meals on a more regular basis without feeling too naughty.  So when I came across a recipe in the March edition of Ideal Home for the Pizza Bianco I was interested.

The recipe uses just three simple ingredients for the pizza base – ground almonds, chia seeds and water.  When I first read the recipe I had to check that I’d read that correctly.  Chia seeds?  Those little black seeds I put in my morning smoothie.  I was definitely interested and thought it was worth a try.  We were both really pleased with the result – not only is this recipe quick and easy but the taste is great.  It doesn’t have the quality of a “normal” pizza base – it’s more like a slightly sweet, doughier version of an oatcake.  Yes, I know, I’m not very good at describing the taste of things.  I guess you’ll just have to try the recipe and let me know a better way of describing it!

 A dough of chia seeds and ground almonds makes a high fibre, gluten-free pizza base.  Both chia seeds and ground almonds have great nutritional benefits so what are you waiting for!

Makes 1 pizza (for one hungry person or two with a side salad), takes 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil (I used olive, but almond or sunflower would work too)

15g chia seeds

100g ground almonds

150g ricotta cheese, drained

125g mozzarella, torn into pieces

Toppings of your choice – I used a selection of the following but you could use your usual favourites:

Red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

Parma ham

Sun blushed tomatoes

Olives

Handful of rocket leaves

Parmesan shavings

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Salt & pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC | 350ºF | gas mark 4.  Line a baking sheet or pizza tray with baking parchment and brush with the oil.
2. Put the chia seeds into a bowl with 4 tbsp water.  Leave for a few minutes until the mixture turns gloopy.
3. Stir in the ground almonds, plus a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Mix with your hands until a dough forms.
4. Put the dough in the centre of the baking sheet and press out with your hands to make an A4-sized base.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
5. Dot the pizza base with the ricotta, mozzarella, then sprinkle on your other toppings and season.  Bake for a further 10 minutes.
6. Top the cooked pizza with the rocket leaves, parmesan shavings and a drizzle of olive oil.

In hindsight I should probably have used white (rather than black) chia seeds as it would have led to a more aesthetically pleasing dough, but it still tasted yummy.  I can see this becoming a firm favourite in our house.  I hope you enjoy