Recipe: Pizza modo mio - poached pear and almond pizza
Poached pear and almond pizza from Pizza modo mio by John Lanzafame [©Murdoch Books]
From Sydney's own world pizza champion, John Lanzafame, comes this delicious sweet pizza recipe to give your dinner guests a dessert with a difference.
Ingredients: Makes two 15 cm (6 inch) pizzas
Poached pears:
500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) red wine
230 g (8 oz/1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 star anise
3 cloves
2 corella pears, or other small, firm pears
Pizza:
2 egg whites
115 g (4 oz/1/2 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
155 g (51/2 oz/1 cup) blanched almonds, finely ground
25 g (1 oz) white chocolate, finely chopped
Coarse semolina, for dusting
1 quantity sweet pizza dough (page 14 of the book) or plain pizza dough (page 12 of the book or pizza dough recipe here »)
6 small scoops of vanilla bean ice cream
2 tablespoons flaked almonds, toasted
Icing (confectioners’) sugar, for dusting
To make the poached pears, put the wine, sugar and spices in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Peel and core the pears, put in the wine mixture, cover with a piece of baking paper, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cool the pears in the liquid, then remove and cut lengthways into 3 cm (11/4 inch) thick slices.
Meanwhile, to make the almond mixture, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add the sugar and whisk until thick and glossy. Add the ground almonds and mix well.
Place a pizza stone or heavy-based oven tray in the oven and preheat to 250°C (500°F/Gas 9).
Lightly dust your workbench with semolina, then roll out the dough into two 15 cm (6 inch) rounds or free-form shapes, place on a pizza tray and prick all over with a fork. Spread the bases with 3 tablespoons almond mixture, sprinkle with the chocolate and sliced pear.
Place the pizzas on the preheated stone or tray and bake for 5 minutes, or until the bases are golden and crisp.
Remove from the oven, top with the ice cream, scatter with toasted almonds, dust with icing sugar and serve.
Recipes and images from Pizza modo mio by John Lanzafame, published by Murdoch Books
The Pizza modo mio (sc, Murdoch Books 2008) and baking stone pack is available exclusively from Australia Post outlets, RRP A$34.95 - read the review here ».
We also reviewed the earlier edition of Pizza modo mio here »
Regions
- Sydney (NSW)
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