BATCH COOKING

Looking to make your kitchen a fuss-free zone? Our no-knead dough is simple to make, stores easily, and can be used for everything from pizzas to bread knots. Best of all, one batch can make multiple meals – so it’s a real weeknight winner.

Our no-knead dough can be turned into everything from pizzas to bread knots.

Smoked Cheddar & Garlic Bread Knots

Makes 8

100g unsalted butter, very soft

½ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

½ quantity no-knead pizza dough (see over page) ¼ cup (30g) finely grated smoked cheddar 12 sage leaves

SMART TIP

You can add any cheese you like to these knots, or add 2 tablespoons of chopped, pitted green olives to the dough before rolling and knotting.

Preheat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan forced). To make the garlic butter, place the softened butter, chopped parsley and garlic in a small bowl. Season with salt and mix to combine. Set aside. Place a large baking tray in the oven and heat for 10 minutes.

Press the dough into a large flat round. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and roll to incorporate. Gently knead the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough portion into a 25cm-long rope. Tie each rope into knots. Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven. Lightly grease the tray and place the knots on top.

Bake the knots for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven. Brush a quarter of the garlic butter over the knots, then top with the sage leaves. Return the knots to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes.

Place the remaining garlic butter in a saucepan over low heat and melt. Serve the knots brushed with the melted garlic butter, topped with sage leaves and salt flakes.

No-knead Pizza Dough

Makes 4 pizzas

3⅓ cups (530g) ‘00’ flour

¼ tsp dried yeast

1 tsp caster sugar

2½ tsp sea salt flakes

1½ cups (375ml) lukewarm water

To make the dough, place the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and water in a large bowl and mix to combine. Cover with a clean tea towel and then set aside in a warm place for 3 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size. (The dough will be quite lumpy at first, but should smooth out once it’s been left to rise.)

Turn out the dough and divide it into 4 equal portions. Stretch out each piece of the dough by the ends until it forms a rectangle approximately 30cm long. Fold the dough into thirds on top of itself, starting from the top of one short end, until you have a rectangle about 10cm long.

Stretch the dough once more and fold into thirds again. Shape each portion into a ball. Place on an oiled tray and loosely cover with a damp tea towel for 30 minutes.

TO MAKE PIZZA BASES: Sprinkle a large piece of baking paper with flour or polenta. Place a dough piece on the paper and using your hand, press out the dough into a round approximately 30cm across, leaving a risen 2cm edge. Repeat with remaining dough.

TO BAKE: Preheat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan forced). Place large baking trays in the oven to heat. Top the pizza bases with desired toppings.

Carefully remove the hot trays from the oven and slide the prepared pizzas onto them. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden and puffed.

TO STORE: After proving, you can keep balls of the pizza dough in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 2 days. Take out the dough and bring it to room temperature for 30 minutes before using. After proving, you can freeze balls of the pizza dough in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge then bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before using.

TO FREEZE: You can also freeze the pressed-out pizza bases between sheets of baking paper – simply place in a zip-lock bag before putting in the freezer. They will keep frozen for up to 3 months. To bake from frozen, allow the pizza bases to thaw completely in the fridge. Bake as per recipe.

FRIDGE PROVE: You can mix the dough and leave it covered with a clean tea towel in the fridge overnight. Remove it from the fridge and prove in a warm area for a further 2 hours, or until doubled in size (the time will depend on how cold your fridge is).

Antipasti Stromboli

Serves 6

½ quantity no-knead pizza dough ¼ cup (60ml) tomato passata 3 slices prosciutto, torn

3 slices ham, torn

6 slices hot sopressa (or salami) 1 cup kale leaves, torn

⅓ cup (35g) grated mozzarella 200g ball fresh mozzarella, torn 1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp fennel seeds

½ tsp salt flakes

Preheat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan forced). Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle measuring about 30x40cm. Spread with the tomato passata, leaving a 2cm border on each long end.

Arrange the prosciutto, ham, sopressa and kale on top of the dough. Scatter with the mozzarella and fior di latte. Starting with a long edge, tightly roll the dough into a scroll shape.

Carefully place the scroll seamside down on a large baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush with the egg and sprinkle with the chilli, fennel and salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and puffed. Set aside to cool slightly and then slice to serve.