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Pizza PassionAs a teenager in the sixties I grew up on a diet of good traditional Hungarian food athome. At school the lunchtime swap- session that all kids love to do, exposed me to notonly vegemite and pickle sandwiches, but also to the wonderful ‘wog’ food of my fellow‘New Australian’ classmates. Growing up in StKilda we never saw the food of our ownEastern European heritage as exotic, but the food of the Mediterranean opened up trulyexciting tastes in a new world. Australian cuisine was changing quickly.The café had already become part of my family’s life both in Hungary and then inSt.Kilda.Every week after sport on the Yarra we would head into town, straight to the coffee bar atPellegrinis’ to eat basically the same food that is still served there today. At thecommunal table in the back kitchen Emma, who still rules that cosy nook, would tolerateour pimply adolescent chutzpah and prepare fresh cannelloni, lasagne or pizza dependingon the day of the week. In the early sixties these now common dishes were truly exotic.Comics were a big part of our literary diet and Pizza appeared again with Archie andJughead in the drugstore and soda shop. These cartoon heroes were forever delivering flatcardboard boxes of strange fare. Pizza had arrived in print but not yet in person.My favourite slice in the sixties came from a little café on Swanston Street betweenwhere the little man at Alexander’s tapped on the window and Foys. It was only availablewhen a small hand painted sign would appear on the window. I knew that it was going toput a serious dent in my weekend budget. Strangely they called it marinara but it had noseafood only a thin crisp crust, tomato flavours that only a country garden or a romanticmemory can deliver and dried strong pungent oregano. Little did I know it was the realthing?Our first visit to Italy completely changed my perceptions of pizza. We found simpleslices, wafer thin crusts, strong flavours. These were nothing like the fare served in thethen new pizza “parlours” like Poppas and such that had started to spring up everywhere.The wood oven was king. Italian markets were full of great regional fare and the pizzatoppings were surprisingly traditional.In Rome there is pizza bianca. On our last trip we were mesmerised by the pizza maker atthe forno at the Campo di Fiori market. How do you put a 2 metre pizza into the ovenwith a small peel? This bakery is open to the street and during summer provides one of the best shows in town. This wonderful bakery makes pizza bianca by the mile and it iseaten as soon as it is made. It is sold by weight.There did not seem to be any of the pre made and reheated slice shops that seem to bespringing up lately.Naples is the ancestral home of pizza and continues to protect the tradition withorganizations dedicated to the preservation of Neapolitan Pizza in much the same waythat wines of a region are classified.
 
There are many criteria for good pizza; my benchmark is a crisp but still tender base thatcan be folded without cracking.I always advise a little restraint when the creative urge hits the pizza cook. Elaboratetoppings often only disguise a mediocre base.Slowly cooked vegetables allow mellow flavours to develop, as the pizza is cooked soquickly these flavours need to be prepared beforehand. Slow roasted garlic, fennel,onions and of course tomato, all contribute to a great pizza.The masonry pizza oven can only be approximated in the home kitchen, but by using astone or tile and some fierce heat we can get close.If you get carried away as I have been, you can always build a ‘forno’ in the back yard.The flour for pizza is traditionally OO with medium gluten content. The grading is howfine the milling is, not the level of protein. On all Italian flours the gluten or proteincontent is displayed, sadly this is not so with Australian flours. For pizza we do not wantto create really tough dough like for bread. It requires a gentle touch and a good deal of  judgement. Plain flour in Australia can vary enormously in its gluten content so I startwith half OO and half baker’s flour and try to stick to one brand. Unfortunately there isvariation within domestic brands also. Unbleached bakers flour works well if you do notover knead the dough. It seems a pity to have to use imported flour in a country capableof branding produce properly for export, but one that treats the domestic user with lesscare. For a really great base use a little sourdough leaven and leave the dough overnightfor a slow second proof in the fridge.Like all good coking – keep it simple and don’t forget the pineapple.
Basic Pizza Dough
 For about 5 Pizzas500g of Unnbleached Bakers flour1 teaspoon of Saf or Fermipan yeastOr 30g of fresh yeastApprox 300ml lukewarm water.2 teaspoons of saltMix the flour salt and dried yeast together. Slowly add the water and knead for about 10mins. This can be done in a mixer with a dough hook. The mixture should be a littlesticky but not really wet.If using fresh yeast dissolve the yeast in a little warm water add a little sugar, wait till itbubbles and proceed as for the dried yeast.For a really crisp base leave covered in a large bowl overnight in the fridge.Roll into small balls and cover with a bowl in a warm place and allow to rise to double itssize. Roll out thin and add your favourite toppings.
 
The cooking process for all these delicious pizzas is similar. A very hot oven is neededand a terracotta tile on the base and one on the top shelf of the oven helps retain heat andgive the base the necessary bounce.
Basic Pizza Sauce
1kg Peeled seeded and chopped tomatoes or tinned tomatoes.Nothing beats home-grown vine ripened tomatoes that have had to struggle a bit.150ml of a spicy extra virgin olive oil2 cloves of garlic crushed with a little salt and fresh chilliSalt and pepperCook in a heavy bottomed pot on a slow simmer for about 20 mins to thicken.
Marinara
The Neapolitans call this Pizza a la Romana and the Romans call it Pizza a la NapoletanaSpread the base with Pizza sauce into which a little anchovies have been added and somecrushed garlic. Leave a little room around the base. Drizzle with olive oil and bakequickly at 280C for about 8 mins. Crush some pungent dried oregano or fresh basil on topbefore serving.
Braised Fennel topping for pizza
250g Fennel cut into fine strips100g Red Onions sliced1 pinch freshly ground fennel seed2 cloves of garlicA little fresh chilliSalt and pepper50ml EV olive oil100ml of waterCrush salt, pepper, garlic, chilli and fennel seed in a mortar and pestle.Slowly braise the sliced fennel and onions in olive oil and water add the crushed spicesand cook till the fennel and onions are soft and caramelised. The water will naturallyevaporate but it will have steamed the vegetables to soften them.
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