Potato and pizza sounds like a crazy combination, right? Yet, it is a classic recipe from Apulia, in the south of Italy. As it can be shaped and topped and refrigerated up to 12 hours before baking, it is also really handy to prepare for a tasty dinner or lunch when you know that you're going to be busy later. Just allow it to return to room temperature and you can pop it in the oven – it's really that simple. In fact, the whole recipe is fairly simple and easy to follow. Try it for yourself and then get a taste of the real thing on a sunny day during a holiday to Apulia. Find a luxury villa in Apulia and taste the delicious dishes the state has to offer while living it up in the lap of luxury.
Ingredients
Serves 2 as a main course, 6 as an appetizer
230g pound boiling potatoes
110g flour, plus extra for the counter
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for the baking pan
20 cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
115g fresh Mozzarella
50g freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Method
1. Peel and place the potatoes in a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Cook until tender when pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes over medium heat. Drain, pass through a ricer, and cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven with a baking stone in it to 230°C.
3. Mix the potatoes, flour and ¼ teaspoon of the salt on a counter until a smooth dough forms. Add a little water if the dough isn't coming together and needs a little help. Conversely, if the dough is sticky, add a little flour. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
4. Flatten into a disk and roll out on a lightly floured counter.
5. Cut the tomatoes in halves. Grease a pizza pan with olive oil and line it with the dough. Drizzle the top of the dough with olive oil and add the tomatoes, cut side down. Season with the oregano, remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt, and pepper.
6. Place in fridge for later or in the preheated oven and bake 15 minutes. It should be golden around the edges when done.
7. Carefully remove the pizza from the over and top with the Mozzarella and Parmigiano. Once this is completed, return to the oven for an additional ten minutes (or, again, until golden brown around the edges).
Once you and your friends have gotten the taste for this dish, just imagine how much better it would be while on holiday in Apulia – feeling the wanderlust already?
Serves 2 as a main course, 6 as an appetizer
230g pound boiling potatoes
110g flour, plus extra for the counter
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for the baking pan
20 cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
115g fresh Mozzarella
50g freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Method
1. Peel and place the potatoes in a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Cook until tender when pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes over medium heat. Drain, pass through a ricer, and cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven with a baking stone in it to 230°C.
3. Mix the potatoes, flour and ¼ teaspoon of the salt on a counter until a smooth dough forms. Add a little water if the dough isn't coming together and needs a little help. Conversely, if the dough is sticky, add a little flour. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
4. Flatten into a disk and roll out on a lightly floured counter.
5. Cut the tomatoes in halves. Grease a pizza pan with olive oil and line it with the dough. Drizzle the top of the dough with olive oil and add the tomatoes, cut side down. Season with the oregano, remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt, and pepper.
6. Place in fridge for later or in the preheated oven and bake 15 minutes. It should be golden around the edges when done.
7. Carefully remove the pizza from the over and top with the Mozzarella and Parmigiano. Once this is completed, return to the oven for an additional ten minutes (or, again, until golden brown around the edges).
Once you and your friends have gotten the taste for this dish, just imagine how much better it would be while on holiday in Apulia – feeling the wanderlust already?
