Stokes Sauces: A world of food

https://www.stokessauces.co.uk/competition

Using pizza as the focus of World Food Week

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PPngJ4BTKg&feature=youtu.be

World Food Week is on 25th June to 1st of July. It was originated to inspire us to expand our food journeys, trying cuisines and cultures from around the world.

We're going to use the pizza as our hub for foodie fun.

The pizza base will reflect the world and the toppings interpret some of its amazing flavours.

We have been having a go at making our own pizza dough. It's definitely a case of trial and error - and quite a lot of the latter.

Click here or on the image of this stunning, classic pizza and enjoy the video lesson. If you find you really get into making your own pizzas, then a pizza stone if well worth having. Google and you'll have one tomorrow.

However, if you find the prospect all fuss and no fun ... off to the supermarket with you for a ready made stoneground pizza base - I know I am.

Pizza perfection

Basic Pizza Dough

You'll need:

7 g of dried yeast, one sachet
25 ml of olive oil
1 tsp of caster sugar
250 ml of warm water
500 g of strong white flour
1 tsp of salt

Here's how:

Mix the yeast and sugar in a small bowl then add the warm water and oil. Set it aside until the yeast is activated - you'll see it change consistency.

In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt and make a well in the middle. Pour the water / yeast mixture into this well and work the flour into it with a wooden spoon. The dough will start to form when the mixture comes together.

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/ketchup-and-sauces

Finish working it in the bowl by hand then move it onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes or so, working it away from you with the heel of your hand, folding it back in on itself, then pushing down and away again.

When it has a smooth elastic feel to it, stop, divide the dough into three, form each into a ball, place them in something like a casserole dish and cover with a damp towel. Leave them in a warm place until they double in size - about a hour will do the trick.

Now you need to 'knock back' the dough by kneading it a couple of times. Flatten the dough with your hands on a floured surface and work it out with your fingers to shape it - as in the video. Each should work out to about half a centimetre thick, slightly raised around the edge and 12 to 15 inches across.

...or just go to the supermarket as we said earlier !

Top toppings

Homemade Tomato Paste

You'll need:

10 cherry vine tomatoes, halved
1 red pepper, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 stick of celery, finely sliced
2 tbsp of green olives, pitted and chopped
1 tbsp of grated Parmesan cheese
4 or 5 leaves of basil
1 beef stock bouillon
4 tbsp of Stokes Tomato Ketchup
1 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup
1 tbsp of Stokes Dijon Mustard

Here's how:

In a deep narrow pan, melt some butter and a drop of olive oil. Add and fry the tomatoes, pepper, onion and celery. Stir the combination round for 5 or 6 minutes.

Add the olives, cheese, basil and bouillon, stir then blitz to a thick paste with a hand blended. Add the ketchup and mustard and blitz again then season to taste.

If the mixture is too thick, add some boiling water and blitz to the right consistency. If it's too thin, tear some bread adding and blitzing it until you're happy with the paste.

Add the flavours of the world

If you want to give your pizza north African flavours, add 1 tsp of Ras el Hanout to the mixture. Use vegetables roasted in honey and harissa paste as the topping with a scattering of mint leave before baking the pizza.

Take it to India with curry powder and chickpeas in the paste instead of Parmesan.

Make it hotter still with cayenne pepper in the paste. Top the pizza with paneer cheese, sliced pepper, onion and chicken tikka.

Try it hot and smokey adding Stokes Hot & Spicy BBQ Sauce instead of the chipotle ketchup and smoked German sausage sliced on top.

Journey south to the Bahamas with jerk rub in the paste and rum soaked pineapple on top to accompany spare rib meat basted with Stokes Original BBQ Sauce before grilling then stripping from the bone.

And Mayonnaise to Dip

Mayonnaise is often described as 'the ultimate condiment', working deliciously with just about anything - especially the sometimes complicated and always varied tastes and colours of a pizza. What then could possibly be better than Stokes Real Mayonnaise - Stokes Real Mayonnaise with additions such as these, of course.

To 4 tbsp of Stokes Real Mayonnaise add... :

Cajun Mayo: 2 tsp of finely chopped onions, 2 tsp of finely chopped parsley, 1 tsp of Stokes Sticky Pickle, 1 tsp of chopped capers, 1 tsp of Stokes Dijon Mustard, 1/2 tsp of Tabasco.