PEPPERONI PIZZA SALAD
Serves 4 as a light meal
1 tbsp olive oil
100g spicy salami, sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
5 large oxheart tomatoes, thickly
sliced
375g buffalo mozzarella, coarsely
torn
¾ cup (loosely packed) basil, plus extra leaves to serve
Pizza croutons
125g pizza flour (see note)
½ tsp dried yeast
70ml olive oil, plus extra for
drizzling
Polenta or semolina, for dusting 100g canned cherry tomatoes,
drained
125g buffalo mozzarella, coarsely
torn
1 tbsp finely grated parmesan
1. For pizza croutons, preheat oven to 220°C and place a heavy oven tray in to heat. Combine flour, yeast and 1 teaspoon sea salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Combine 40ml oil and 70ml lukewarm water in a jug, add to flour mixture, stir to combine then turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (4–5 minutes). Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover and stand until doubled in size (30–40 minutes). Knock down dough, roll out on a polenta-dusted piece of baking paper to a 25cm-diameter round. Squeeze excess liquid from cherry tomatoes, scatter over dough, scatter with mozzarella and parmesan and season to taste. Drizzle with a little extra oil and transfer, on baking paper, to preheated oven tray. Bake until golden and bubbling (15–20 minutes), then allow to cool to room temperature. Tear into rough pieces. Toss with remaining oil, scatter on an oven tray and bake until crisp (2–3 minutes). Cool to room temperature.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, add salami and cook, turning once, until crisp (2–3 minutes). Add garlic and stir until fragrant (30 seconds). Remove from heat, add vinegar, season to taste and set aside.
3. To serve, arrange tomatoes on a platter, scatter with mozzarella, basil and pizza croutons, spoon salami dressing over, and scatter with basil.