Chef Gary O'Hanlon joins Ciara with this week's simple recipe - Frying Pan Pizza   

Ingredients 

For the Dough 

500g ‘00’ flour 

310g tepid water 

4g dry yeast  

16g table salt    

Toppings 

Whatever you like. 

I use BBQ sauce on the base, sprinkle of cooked chicken, green peppers, sweetcorn, red chilli flakes, mozzarella & parmesan  

Method 

For the Dough  

Mix the salt with 1/3 of the water and set aside 

Mix the remaining water with the dried yeast and set aside for 5-7 minutes until it bubbles. 

Once the water and yeast has bubbles it’s activated so now you can proceed. 

Add in half the flour to the water and yeast mixture and mix well 

Now add in the salt water solution, mix and then the remainder of the flour and mix well. 

Add to a K-Mix or any stand mixer and with the dough hook attachment mix on low speed for approximately 8 minutes or until the dough is smooth. 

Dust a surface with a little flour and knead the dough ball by hand for a further 6-8 minutes to work the gluten.  

When smooth, rub olive oil into a deep bowl, drop in the dough ball and then put some olive oil on your hand and gently rub the top of the dough ball to glaze. 

Cover well and set aside to prove for 1 hour in a warm part of the kitchen. 

After 1 hour, remove the dough ball onto a lightly dusted surface and cut into 200g dough balls. 

Roll each one individually until you’ve formed a very tight dough ball. 

Place on a tray which is dusted with semolina then top with a decent sprinkling of semolina. Keep a large gap between each dough ball to allow for rising.  

Repeat until the dough is done. If youre only close to 200g it’s fine but no bigger than 200g and no less than 185g. 

You should get 4 200g balls 

When done, cover well and set aside in a warm part of your kitchen for 6 hours.  

To Cook. 

Heat an oven ready frying pan well. 

Turn the grill on your oven on to its highest setting and close the door to retain as much heat as possible. 

Place a dough ball on a dusted surface and using both hands push the air from the center out towards the crust, rotate by ¼ turn and repeat until you’ve pushed the air out to the crust all around the pizza. 

Now lift the dough up onto your knuckles and gently rotate the dough letting the weight of it create the circular base. What you’re really trying to do at this point is keep the air in the crust! 

Now you’ve got to work fast. 

Drop your dough onto the hot frying pan and immediately get to work. 

You must have your toppings all ready to go before you start any dough rolling so get them close to the pan. 

I cover my base with BBQ sauce, a light layer. Do not over sauce. 

Now a light mozzarella layer followed by chicken pieces (cooked), green peppers, red chilli flakes, sweetcorn and onion. 

Keep the base on a high heat and every minute or so take a wee look by lifting with a spatula.  

Once you see brown spots and a golden colour you’re ready for the next phase. 

Brush olive oil all over the crust then grate fresh parmesan over the pizza.   

Place into the oven or under the salamander and grill until golden. Approx 3-4 minutes.   

Slide out onto a chopping board, cut and serve. 

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