Pizza is normally something I’d make at the weekend because it does take a while even though its not labour intensive. Mid-week it is a bit of a push but on a Friday night it works very well. For example, last night we got home about 6.45 so I got in & immediately popped the kettle on for a few seconds to take the chill off the water & then got it into the airing cupboard with some yeast & sugar for 15mins. In the time it took the yeast to react I weighed out my flour & a pinch of salt and got everything ready to go.

At 7pm the yeast went into the flour and after a bit of mixing and kneading the dough was back in the airing cupboard for an hour. In that hour I threw some onion, garlic and chopped tomatoes into a pan with a pinch of oregano and 2 small bay leaves and left it simmering down into a tasty thick sauce.

At 8pm I took the dough out, knocked it back, split into two and left it under the bowl for 20 mins. In that 20 mins I put the oven on to heat up to 200°c and prepared all the ingredients – drained the juice from the defrosted roasted vegetables, chopped up the mozzarella and got the olives to the ready!

8.20pm and the doughs are flattened and stretch into the bases and the ingredients piled on top.

Thrown in the oven for 16 minutes and hey presto dinner is served at 8.45pm. And I really dont want to buy a pre-made pizza ever again

This week I intend on cooking every night and I am determined to take part in my first ‘bag weekly challenge – this weeks ingredient is asparagus. Especially since we got 2 bundles of asparagus in Tesco for 10p each.

Here is our vegetable haul for the week:

Most of that veg is now cooking in the oven as batch cooking commences with a large batch of ratatouille (2 peppers, 1 red onion, 2 courgettes, aubergine, tomatoes & one bunch of asparagus).

Tonight I will make a chilli as Hubbys sister is coming over for tea.

Monday we will probably have round one of the ratatouille with some cous cous.

Tuesday will be a lentil bake (must remember to wash the lentils).

Wednesday I aim to make a quiche with the other bunch of asparagus.

Thursday I will use some more ratatouille to make a pasta bake with some mozzarella & olives

Friday we will probably have the left over chilli.

On Saturday we will probably eat out as Hubby won us two tickets to the Radio One Big Weekend next Saturday in Preston – hmmmm I could make us a picnic…. will have to get my thinking cap on there!!

Anyway, I will try & report back mid week with some pics seeing as I have been a bit absent recently.

I’ve used it quite often for its dough recipe & more often than not make my favourite Pizza Express pizza – the Fiorentina.

The dough is soooooo simple & reasonably quick to make so long as you have about an hour & a half to leave it to rise. I enjoy the bouncy texture of it:

To make the Fiorentina, the base is covered in the basic tomato sauce (1 onion chopped finely & softened in a pan with some garlic, throw in some tomato puree, then 400g chopped tomatoes and a pinch or two of oregano + seasoning – leave to simmer & reduce). On top of the tomato sauce you need to add some spinach, cubed mozzarella & some finely chopped garlic.
Throw it in the oven – ours takes about 16/18 minutes at 220° – 10 minutes before its ready add an egg… and hey presto one very tasty & satisfying Friday night in.

Serve with some black pepper & grated Parmesan and a large glass of white wine. Bellissimo!