Gourmet Pizza Making at Home: Elevate Your Pizza Game

There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of creating a gourmet pizza in your own kitchen. 

While takeaway pizza has its place, crafting a homemade gourmet pizza gives you the pleasure of  experimenting with unique flavours, high-quality ingredients, and a personal touch. 

Here’s how you can boost your pizza game and make a truly exceptional gourmet pizza at home.

The Perfect Dough: The Foundation of Gourmet Pizza

The base of any great pizza is the dough. For a gourmet pizza, the dough needs to be flavourful and have the right texture. Here’s a simple recipe for a perfect pizza dough:

Ingredients:

500g strong white bread flour

325ml lukewarm water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp instant yeast

2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

Mixing the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. In a separate bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the lukewarm water. Let it sit for a several minutes until it develops nicely and becomes frothy. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil to the flour mixture at this stage.

Kneading: Mix until a dough forms, then turn it out onto a floured surface. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Rising: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until it has doubled in size.

Shaping: Once risen, punch down the dough and divide it into desired portions. Shape each portion into a ball and let rest for 10 minutes before rolling out.

If for some reason you are unable to make your own dough you can buy high quality pizza bases from high end supermarkets and delicatessens. 

Sauce: The Soul of Your Pizza

A gourmet pizza deserves a rich, flavourful sauce. You can opt for a traditional tomato base or experiment with alternatives like pesto or white sauce. Here’s a recipe for a classic tomato sauce:

Ingredients:

400g tin of Mutti San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

Fresh basil leaves, chopped

Black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Sautéing: In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.

Simmering: Add the tomatoes, salt, and sugar. Crush the tomatoes with a spoon or use an immersion blender for a smoother texture. Let the sauce simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Finishing: Stir in the chopped basil and season with black pepper. Let the sauce cool before spreading it on your pizza dough.

Toppings: Where Creativity Shines

The beauty of making gourmet pizza at home is the freedom to use the finest and most creative toppings. Here are some ideas to inspire you:

Classic Margherita:

Fresh mozzarella

Fresh basil leaves

Extra virgin olive oil

Prosciutto & Rocket:

Thinly sliced prosciutto

Fresh rocket (arugula)

Shaved Parmesan

Balsamic glaze

Truffle & Mushroom:

Mixed wild mushrooms, sautéed

Truffle oil

Fresh thyme

Taleggio cheese

Fig & Goat Cheese:

Fresh figs, sliced

Goat cheese

Caramelised onions

Honey drizzle

Fresh rosemary

Baking: Achieving the Perfect Crust

For a truly gourmet pizza, baking is crucial. If possible, use a pizza stone or a steel in your oven to mimic the high heat of a pizza oven.

Preheating: Place your pizza stone or steel in the oven and preheat to the highest temperature (usually 250°C or higher) for at least 30 minutes.

Assembling: Roll out your dough on a floured surface, transfer it to a pizza peel or a baking sheet, and add your sauce and toppings.

Baking: Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or steel. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

Serving: The Final Touch

Once your pizza is baked to perfection, let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. This helps the toppings settle and makes slicing easier. Serve your gourmet pizza with a fresh salad and a glass of wine to complete the experience.

Creating a gourmet pizza at home is not just about following a recipe; it’s about enjoying the process and experimenting with flavours. With high-quality ingredients and a bit of creativity, you can transform a simple pizza night into a culinary adventure. Happy pizza crafting!

Top tomato brand Mutti hunts for UKs top tomato cooks!

Top Italian tomato brand, Mutti, is delighted to launch its 2023 edition of the Golden Tomato Cook Competition.

This amazing yearly culinary event is aimed at celebrating all things tomato and the exceptional quality and taste of its Italian tomato products. 

To launch the search for the UK’s best tomato cook, Mutti has revealed the fascinating results from its chef survey, shedding light on their perceptions, and preferences when it comes to tomato-based ingredients. 

The eye-opening facts challenge common beliefs about tomatoes but also highlight the importance of quality, taste, and sustainable practices in the culinary world.

Kirsty Beckman, who is the Brand Manager UK for Mutti says: “It's an exciting time of year for Mutti where we begin our yearly search for our next Golden Tomato Cook. 

"To celebrate this, we thought it was a great chance to see what chefs in the UK think about tomatoes. We've unveiled some really surprising results from the survey, including tomato myths and insightful preferences. 

"We’re now calling all tomato enthusiasts to unearth the chef within them and join Mutti's Golden Tomato Cook Competition, 2023. 

"We're calling on them to show us their creative flair and craft a spectacular three-course menu featuring our Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes, Peeled Tomatoes, Passata, and Double Concentrated Tomato Puree. 

"With esteemed judges and remarkable prizes, this is their chance to shine. Enter now at cooking competition entry page and let your passion for great food and cooking take the spotlight!"

Tomatoes are the Indispensable Ingredient

The survey uncovered the essential ingredients chefs simply can't live without, and unsurprisingly, tomatoes and/or tomato products secured the top spot at 44%. This reaffirms the integral role Mutti's tomatoes play in elevating dishes to new heights. Salt and/or Pepper, and Olive Oil came second and third respectively.

The Fruit That Masquerades as a Vegetable

Surprisingly, 55% of chefs confessed to misidentifying tomatoes as vegetables, when in fact, they are really  fruits. This stunning admission shows even amongst chefs there's still much to learn and love about the not-so-humble tomatoes.

The survey further showcased that whilst 44% of chefs acknowledged the centuries-old (over 500 years in fact) heritage of Italian tomatoes, only half of them were aware the famous San Marzano tomatoes exclusively hail from the Campania region, adding a delightful layer of historical context to the chef's staple.

Also, 51% of chefs correctly recognised the presence of lycopene in tomatoes, known for its considerable and important health benefits; a powerful antioxidant that can help protect cells from damage. This highlights the importance of not only taste but also the nutritional value of ingredients in modern culinary creations.

Tomato Quality is Key!

When it comes to tomato-based ingredients, the top three factors that matter the most to chefs are quality (42%), product size (36%), and flavour and/or great taste (35%). This indicates that Mutti's commitment to providing premium quality tomatoes is aligned with the priorities of culinary professionals, who value excellence in ingredients above all else.

The Global Tomato Perspective

Another fascinating insight revealed the top countries perceived by chefs to produce the best quality tomatoes include Italy, India, and the USA. Italy's inclusion in the top three enhances the Golden Tomato Cook Competition, as Mutti is proud to showcase the unrivalled quality of its tomato products, made using only the highest quality 100% Italian tomatoes, as well as the products’ unique flavour profile and taste.

The Conscientious Chef

The survey also delved into ethical considerations of chefs when selecting ingredients. Over half of the chefs surveyed (51%) stressed the importance of responsibly and fairly sourced ingredients, with 57% emphasising the need for ingredients from reputable and known brands. 

This aligns with Mutti's dedicated commitment to sustainable working practices including protecting the diversity and vitality of the environment to ensure long term sustainability, which Mutti continues to educate on the importance of, for longevity and the best tomato product. Mutti also focuses on long term relationships with their farmers, paying an average 10% higher than the market average to ensure mutually beneficial relationships.

But what's more, 55% of chefs agreed ingredients must be of the best quality, something Mutti has been uncompromising on for over 120 years. The fact that 54% of chefs emphasised the significance of great taste and/or flavour reaffirms one of the central focuses of the Golden Tomato Cook Competition.

The search of the UK’s Golden Tomato Cook is now on!

Mutti's 3rd Golden Tomato Cook Competition is here, paying homage to the revered Pomodorino d'oro, where Mutti rewards the farmer who supplies the highest quality produce whilst also using sustainable and responsible practices.

Mutti's cooking contest celebrates sustainable excellence and invites home cooks to craft the ultimate three-course menu with Mutti Essentials - Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes, Peeled Tomatoes, Passata, and Double Concentrated Tomato Puree.

Enter with a starter, main, and bonus dish of your choice, with each recipe highlighting a different Mutti Essential and its unique characteristics. The esteemed judging panel, which includes top chefs Carlo Casoni, Nigel Barden, Ben Tish, and Gabriella Margiotta, will assess dishes based on taste, presentation, and above all, making tomatoes the hero. 

Public vote shortlists five menus, and the final three compete in a live cook off at Sauce, by The Langham in London on 19th October 2023. The grand prize is an exclusive foodie trip to Parma, Italy,  the home of Mutti, along with mentorship from Chef Ben Tish. 2nd prize is a virtual cooking class with Mutti head chef, Carlo, and the 3rd prize is a 3-course meal for 2 at Eataly restaurants. 4th and 5th place winners will receive a produce hamper from Mutti.

Contestants have until 23:59 on 26th September 2023 to create and submit their menus online, so there is no time to lose, get creating and get your entries in. To enter, visit https://mutti-parma.com/en/golden-tomato-cook-2023-entry/ where you'll be able to discover recipe inspiration and tips too. Terms and conditions apply.

(Pictures: provided by Mutti)

https://mutti-parma.com

Heinz is launching a new Culinary Tomatoes range, celebrating its iconic sun-ripened tomatoes

Absolutely ideal for both scratch cooks and those who are requiring a bit of a culinary helping hand, this absolutely new range from Heinz brings its passion for the finest of tomatoes straight into their kitchens, opening up its most loved ingredient in ways never before seen.

From finely chopped tomatoes to pizzas, curries and chilli tomato bases, the new range will help cooks create and whip up a vast array of world cuisines at home, with tomato inspiration that goes beyond just Italian dishes.  

Introducing Heinz’s Culinary Tomatoes range: opening up Heinz’s tomatoes to everyone. 

Using only the finest Heinz tomatoes, these are all sun-ripened and grown in Italy for truly unparalleled flavour, the brand-new range includes chopped and peeled tomatoes, a classic pizza sauce and tomato puree, as well as a range of tomato bases for cooking sauces (passata, chilli, curry and frito), helping cooks to dish up a range of cuisines from around the world with convenience.  

With recent research highlighting that seven out of the UK’s top 10 favourite dishes are tomato based, the new range will allow cooks to give their best-loved meals – from a pizza Margherita to shakshuka or chicken bhuna - a uniquely Heinz twist.  

Caio Fontenele, Heinz New Ventures Director said: “We’re really delighted to give Heinz tomato lovers even more access to our finest tomatoes, while offering real inspirations to all cooks to create new and delicious recipes in their kitchens."

He went on to say: “We’ve developed our brand new tomato collection to offer something for everyone, regardless of the level of their cookery skills. 

“For those who love cooking from scratch, we have our delicious Heinz tomatoes in peeled, chopped or puréed formats. And for those who require an extra culinary hand and want to skip the basic preparation stages, we have our tasty, ready-to-use tomato based cooking sauces, too.

“Our Heinz Passatas are perfect for creating classic pizzas and pastas, while our Chilli and Curry bases will help home cooks to explore cuisines, beyond Italian . We also have our signature Heinz Tomato Frito, containing fresh garlic and onions, cooked in olive oil to extract the best flavour, and already a success in other European countries”. 

Discussing Heinz’s tomato history, Caio went on to say: “When it comes to tomatoes, it really just has to be Heinz. Ever since Henry J. Heinz first grew the seeds for the tomatoes that would become a staple in Heinz products all over the world, from our iconic Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup, to our new Heinz Pasta Sauces, we’ve been truly in love with our tomatoes. 

“Our Heinz tomato masters’ obsession with quality and agricultural excellence inspired us to offer our tomatoes directly to customers, allowing everyone the chance to create their own pizzas or tomato curries with the unmistakable taste of Heinz”. 

Of the launch, Gary King, Global Agricultural Developer at Heinz, said: “As one of many Heinz Tomato Masters around the world, I’ve had a lifelong passion and dedication for our tomatoes, always searching for new ways to further improve their quality.

“Heinz’s tomatoes are truly, incredibly unique. They are one of the most viscous tomatoes in the world, giving them their delicious, rich, thick, unmistakeable Heinz flavour. We’ve always grown our tomatoes using traditional methods and we’re as passionate about doing this today as we were back when it all began in 1869. As we say at Heinz, our tomatoes are grown, not made”. 

The launch of the Culinary Tomatoes range is part of Kraft Heinz’s larger transformation to bring insight-driven innovation to consumers faster than ever before and grow its taste elevation platform around the world. 

The full new Heinz Culinary Tomatoes range includes: 

●          Heinz Chopped Tomatoes (400g) – RRP £1.25 

●          Heinz Chopped Tomatoes multipack (4x 400g) – RRP £4.75 

●          Heinz Peeled Tomatoes (400g) – RRP £1.25 

●          Heinz Classic Pizza Sauce (400g) – RRP £1.75 

●          Heinz Classic Passata (500g) – RRP £1.75 

●          Heinz Passata with Basil (500g) – RRP £1.75 

●          Heinz Curry Tomato Base (500g) – RRP £1.75 

●          Heinz Chilli Tomato Base (500g) – RRP £1.75 

●          Heinz Double Concentrated Tomato Puree (130g) – RRP £1.40 

●          Heinz Frito Tomato Base (500g) – RRP £1.75 (available in August) 

●          Heinz Finely Chopped Tomatoes (400g) – RRP £1.25 (available in August) 

Of course, the entire range has absolutely no added preservatives, additives, or sugar. 

The new Heinz Culinary Tomatoes range is available now from ASDA stores all over the country, expanding to other retailers later this year. Prices will be at the sole discretion of the retailer. 

For more information, visit www.heinz.co.uk/heinz-tomato-products