Pizza il Vecchietto

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

• Dried yeast, fast action: 15g/½oz
• ‘00’ flour: 500g/1lb 2oz
• Salt: 15g/½oz

Toppings

• Mozzarella, torn and drained in a sieve: 20g/¾oz
• Matured pecorino, sliced: 50g/1¾oz
• Ricotta, drained: 50g/1¾oz
• Guanciale: 4 slices
• Cherry tomatoes: 2 sprigs
• Bay leaves: 2
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp

Method

Preheat the Oven

• Preheat your oven to 230°C (210°C Fan/Gas 8).

Assemble the Pizza

1. Roll Out the Dough: Roll out each dough ball into a pizza base.
2. Add Toppings:
   • On half of the base, sprinkle the sliced pecorino cheese.
   • On a quarter of the base, spread the ricotta cheese.
3. Cook the Guanciale: Heat a frying pan over high heat. Add the guanciale and fry until crispy, allowing it to cook in its own fat.
4. Add Remaining Toppings:
   • Place the cherry tomatoes on top of the pecorino.
   • Add the mozzarella cheese on top of the ricotta.
   • Place the crispy guanciale over the remaining empty quarter of the pizza.
5. Finish with Bay Leaves: Nestle the bay leaves in the centre of the pizza and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake the Pizza

• Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the crust is blistered and golden brown.