Fiery Chilli Broccoli Pizza

Elle Cresswell

Fiery Chilli broccoli pizza — crisp, blistered base topped with tender broccoli, a hit of heat and plenty of melty cheese. Fresh, fiery and surprisingly addictive.

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Prep Time 1

Cook Time 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

90 g plain flour
1 tsp dried fast-action yeast
55 ml lukewarm water
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 ½ tsp chilli flakes
2 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
½ head broccoli roughly sliced
1 red onion (or 1 very small red onion) thinly sliced
62-75 g mozzarella (about half a standard ball)
Small handful fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Put the flour, yeast and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Add the water and mix with a knife until it comes together, then tip it out onto a clean surface and knead for 2 minutes until smooth. Pop the dough back into the bowl, cover with a damp tea towel or cling film, and leave for about 1 hour until risen and puffy (a warm spot helps — colder rooms just need a bit more patience).
While the dough rises, stir together the olive oil, parsley, chilli flakes and garlic to make a rough, fragrant paste. Set aside.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface (or baking paper) to roughly 25cm wide — about the size of a large frying pan. Heat the pan over a high heat for 2 minutes, then carefully lay in the dough.
Heat the grill to its highest setting. While the base cooks underneath, scatter over the broccoli and red onion, leaving a narrow border around the edge. Tear over the mozzarella, then dot the herby chilli paste all over the top.
Slide the pan under the grill and cook for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbling and the crust edges are golden. Finish with fresh basil, a pinch of salt and some black pepper, then slice and serve straight from the pan.

Notes

Any leftover broccoli is put to good use in the cauliflower and broccoli cheese from the Budget vegetarian meal plan for one, while the remaining mozzarella finds its way into the tomato and pea pasta bake — clever cooking that wastes nothing and keeps meals ticking along nicely.