Rocket Pizza

Fancy a pizza that whisks you straight to an Italian hillside? This rocket-topped favourite is a summer essential, evoking memories of sun-drenched tomatoes and simple, mouth-watering flavours from a quaint town near Frascati – it's like a holiday on a plate, without the passport queue.

The dish captures an aspirational vibe of effortless Italian cooking, with its fresh ingredients and crisp texture creating a feel-good experience that's both invigorating and comforting. Key elements like peppery rocket and ripe tomatoes shine, offering a delightful balance that makes it a go-to for relaxed, flavour-packed meals.

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Prep: 60 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Pizzas

15g dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
250ml lukewarm water
500g strong flour
pinch salt
3 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tbsp Pesto
1 tbsp basil leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil

Rocket Salad

150g rocket
6 plum or vine ripened tomatoes (some yellow ones make a colourful salad if you can find them)
2 tbsp basil leaves, shredded
300g buffalo mozzarella, diced
2 tbps parmesan shavings
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Pizza: Mix the yeast sugar and water together in a bowl. Leave the mixture for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy, then stir in the olive oil. Sieve the flour with a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Gradually stir in the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon, until you have a sticky dough.. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead it for 10-15 minutes, until you have a smooth and elastic dough. Oil a large bowl lightly. Place the dough in the bowl and cover it with a tea towel and place it in a warm place for 40-50 minutes until it has risen to double it size.
To Cook: Heat a baking tray or pizza stone in an oven at 180°C for around 30 minutes. Place the risen dough onto a floured surface and punch it down with your hands and divide it into 6 balls. Pull or roll the dough out into rough circles around 20cm diametre and .5mm thick.. Place the dough on the hot baking tray or pizza stone. Mix the garlic, Pesto, basil leaves and olive oil together and brush it over the pizza. Place the pizzas in the hot oven and cook them for 15-20 minutes until they are crisp and golden. Remove the pizzas from the oven and serve.
To Serve: Place the pizzas on serving plates. Scatter the rocket leaves, tomatoes, basil leaves,mozzarella and parmesan on each pizza. Drizzle the olive oil over the salad and season with a little salt and pepper. Serve.