Red onion pizzas with orange zest

Preparation time: 10 mins
Resting time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 8 mins

Makes 2 pizzas:

Prepare the dough several hours in advance. Mix together the yeast and sugar in 20 cl of lukewarm water, and set aside until the yeast foams; this should take about 5 mins. Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in the yeast and sugar, and sprinkle the “fine sea salt for breadmaking” onto the flour making sure the salt does not touch the yeast. Form a dough by gradually drawing the flour towards the centre of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky, add a little flour.

Flour a work surface. Kneed the dough for 5 mins until smooth, adding flour if necessary to stop it sticking. If you mix the dough in a food mixer, kneed the dough for 30 secs. Divide into 2 balls and place them on an oven tray covered with greaseproof paper and a little flour. Cover with a clean cloth, place in a warm place away from drafts and leave to rise for 30 mins, until the dough doubles in volume.

Preheat the oven to 250 °C (gas mark 8). Finely slice the onions with a mandolin. Finely dice the cheese. Roll out each ball first with a rolling pin, then by pressing with your fingers. Delicately stretch the edges to obtain a 25-cm diameter circle. Fold over 1 cm of dough to create an edge. Transfer to a lightly floured baking tray. Dress the dough circles with onions and diced cheese. Grate the zest of half an orange then sprinkle with fine sea salt. Bake for 8 mins, until the ends of the dough and the cheese are golden. Remove from the oven and sprinkle on the grated zest from the remaining half of the orange. Sprinkle with “fleur de sel” sea salt and ground pepper.

Homemade pizza dough is a bit of effort but well worth it. Place the oven tray on the bottom of the oven to make the dough really crispy.