In this episode we join Scott Deley, pizza maker extraordinaire in his home as we talk to him about his top food tips, how he uses leftovers, his new book, and mostly PIZZA! If you love pizza, you’ll love this episode! Hear Scott as he shapes and makes and bakes his pizzas and shares endless tips for your pizza success.
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You can find the written recipes below of the pizzas Scott made for us, plus you can watch us on our YouTube channel.
Summertime Courgette Bianca (this recipe will make three 11-12” pizzas)
This refreshing, tasty pizza epitomizes summertime! With the creaminess of the cheese, freshness of the courgette and mint, with a kit of heat from the chilli flakes, this pizza ticks all the boxes on the flavour chart.
The amount of yeast used in this recipe is based on an average room temperature of 18°C. If your room temperature is considerably higher or lower, you can use a dough calculator (I recommend the “PIZZAPP”) to adjust your parameters and it will give you the correct amount of yeast required. You can also use these calculators to work out the amount of yeast you would need if you wanted to make your dough over a shorter period of time.
Dough (63% Hydration)
- 498g Matthews Cotswold Pizza Flour
- 314g Water
- 12g Salt
- 0.26g Instant Dried Yeast
Toppings
- Fresh Mozzarella
- Ricotta (infused with lemon juice)
- Courgette
- Extra Virgin olive Oil
- Lemon Zest
- Fresh Mint (finely chopped)
- Chilli Flakes
- Weigh out the flour, water, salt and yeast then add the flour and yeast to your mixing bowl.
- Turn on your mixer to incorporate the flour and yeast together and begin to gradually add 95% of the water until it has all come together and formed a rough looking ball. This should take 2-3 minutes.
- Cover with a tea towel and let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes. This will help the flour to absorb the water.
- After 20-30 minutes, add the salt to the rested dough with a splash of water and turn the mixer back on. Gradually add the remaining 5% of water and mix for approximately 7-9 minutes until the dough is smooth. If you have a thermometer, it’s a good idea to check the temperature of the dough at this stage. The dough should be 21-23°C.
- Turn the dough out onto the worktop and form into a ball. Cover the dough and let it rest for a further 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, lift the dough off the worktop and fold it over a few times before shaping back into a ball. This will increase the tension in the dough giving you a stronger structure and make the dough much smoother. When the ball is formed, transfer to an airtight container and let the dough ferment at room temperature for 18 hours.
- After 18 hours the dough should have risen considerably. Remove from the container and divide into three equal sized portions.
- Using your hands, form the dough portions into tight balls. If you find the dough to be a bit sticky, rub a little bit of olive oil or water onto your hands.
- Transfer the dough balls into lightly oiled individual containers for 4-6 hours at room temperature (adding the oil to the containers will help when you come to remove the dough balls from the containers and maintain their round shape). Alternatively, once the dough balls are in the oiled containers, you can put them in the fridge for up to 24 hours (removing them from the fridge 2-3 hours before cooking to let them get back to room temperature). In my experience, the additional time in the fridge will give you a softer, tastier dough, so if you do have the time, it is something I recommend.
- When the dough balls have rested for 4-6 hours (or 2-3 hours after removing them from the fridge), fire up your pizza oven aiming for a stone temperature of 430-450°C.
- Whilst your pizza oven is heating up, use a vegetable peeler to cut your courgette into very thin ribbons.
- Tip out a dough ball onto a floured worktop (I like to use fine semolina flour) and cover with some extra flour. From the centre, carefully push out to form a one-inch crust rotating regularly to maintain the circular shape. Pick the dough up and hang it upright over both sets of your knuckles and begin to rotate the dough through your hands allowing gravity to stretch it out. Once the dough is evenly stretched to about 11-12 inches, scrape most of the semolina flour to one side and place the dough back down onto a floured pizza peel.
- Add the fresh mozzarella, lemon infused ricotta, and courgette ribbons before a final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- When the stone temperature has reached 430-450°C, launch the prepared pizza into your pizza oven and cook for 60-90 seconds turning regularly to achieve a nice even bake.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a serving board before adding lemon zest, freshly chopped mint, and chilli flakes.
- Cut into 6-8 pieces before serving.
Vodka Pepperoni (this recipe will make three 11-12” pizzas)
If you want to add a little kick your normal tomato pizza sauce, then I really recommend giving this vodka sauce a try. With just a few extra steps and ingredients you’ll be experiencing new flavours and consistencies which will have your taste buds tingling! I find pairing it with creamy mozzarella, lemon infused ricotta, and pepperoni really works well with some post bake freshness coming from the freshly torn basil.
The amount of yeast used in this recipe is based on an average room temperature of 18°C. If your room temperature is considerably higher or lower, you can use a dough calculator (I recommend the “PIZZAPP”) to adjust your parameters and it will give you the correct amount of yeast required. You can also use these calculators to work out the amount of yeast you would need if you wanted to make your dough over a shorter period of time.
Dough (63% Hydration)
- 498g Matthews Cotswold Pizza Flour
- 314g Water
- 12g Salt
- 0.26g Instant Dried Yeast
Toppings
- Fresh Mozzarella
- Ricotta (infused with lemon juice)
- Vodka Sauce
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Butter
- ½ Small Onion (finely chopped)
- 3 Garlic Cloves (crushed)
- ½ tsp Chilli Flakes
- 1 tbsp Tomato Puree
- 1 can Tomatoes
- 100ml Vodka
- 12oml Double Cream
- Salt and Pepper
- Pepperoni
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Basil (finely chopped)
- To make the vodka sauce:
- Add the butter, olive oil and garlic to a pan over a medium heat and cook for two minutes until starting to brown.
- Add the chilli flakes, tomato puree and tomatoes to the pan and stir to combine.
- Reduce to a low heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the vodka, double cream, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
- Transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Let the sauce cool before using. It can be stored in the fridge for up to two days.
- Weigh out the flour, water, salt and yeast then add the flour and yeast to your mixing bowl.
- Turn on your mixer to incorporate the flour and yeast together and begin to gradually add 95% of the water until it has all come together and formed a rough looking ball. This should take 2-3 minutes.
- Cover with a tea towel and let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes. This will help the flour to absorb the water.
- After 20-30 minutes, add the salt to the rested dough with a splash of water and turn the mixer back on. Gradually add the remaining 5% of water and mix for approximately 7-9 minutes until the dough is smooth. If you have a thermometer it’s a good idea to check the temperature of the dough at this stage. The dough should be 21-23°C.
- Turn the dough out onto the worktop and form into a ball. Cover the dough and let it rest for a further 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, lift the dough off the worktop and fold it over a few times before shaping back into a ball. This will increase the tension in the dough giving you a stronger structure and make the dough much smoother. When the ball is formed, transfer to an airtight container and let the dough ferment at room temperature for 18 hours.
- After 18 hours the dough should have risen considerably. Remove from the container and divide into three equal sized portions.
- Using your hands, form the dough portions into tight balls. If you find the dough to be a bit sticky, rub a little bit of olive oil or water onto your hands.
- Transfer the dough balls into lightly oiled individual containers for 4-6 hours at room temperature (adding the oil to the containers will help when you come to remove the dough balls from the containers and maintain their round shape). Alternatively, once the dough balls are in the oiled containers, you can put them in the fridge for up to 24 hours (removing them from the fridge 2-3 hours before cooking to let them get back to room temperature). In my experience, the additional time in the fridge will give you a softer, tastier dough, so if you do have the time, it is something I recommend.
- When the dough balls have rested for 4-6 hours (or 2-3 hours after removing them from the fridge), fire up your pizza oven aiming for a stone temperature of 430-450°C.
- Tip out a dough ball onto a floured worktop (I like to use fine semolina flour) and cover with some extra flour. From the centre, carefully push out to form a one-inch crust rotating regularly to maintain the circular shape. Pick the dough up and hang it upright over both sets of your knuckles and begin to rotate the dough through your hands allowing gravity to stretch it out. Once the dough is evenly stretched to about 11-12 inches, scrape most of the semolina flour to one side and place the dough back down onto a floured pizza peel.
- Add the fresh mozzarella, ricotta, dollops of the vodka sauce and pepperoni before a final drizzle of olive oil.
- When the stone temperature has reached 430-450°C, launch the prepared pizza into your pizza oven and cook for 60-90 seconds turning regularly to achieve a nice even bake.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a serving board before adding freshly torn basil.
- Cut into 6-8 pieces before serving.
Garlic Dough Strips (this recipe will make three portions)
Pizza dough and melted garlic butter are a match made in heaven! These garlic dough strips are easily the most popular dish when I host a pizza party, and what makes them even better is they’re super simple to make!
The amount of yeast used in this recipe is based on an average room temperature of 18°C. If your room temperature is considerably higher or lower, you can use a dough calculator (I recommend the “PIZZAPP”) to adjust your parameters and it will give you the correct amount of yeast required. You can also use these calculators to work out the amount of yeast you would need if you wanted to make your dough over a shorter period of time.
Dough (63% Hydration)
- 498g Matthews Cotswold Pizza Flour
- 314g Water
- 12g Salt
- 0.26g Instant Dried Yeast
Toppings
- 2 tbsp Butter
- Garlic Cloves (crushed)
- 1 tsp Dried Parsley
- Weigh out the flour, water, salt and yeast then add the flour and yeast to your mixing bowl.
- Turn on your mixer to incorporate the flour and yeast together and begin to gradually add 95% of the water until it has all come together and formed a rough looking ball. This should take 2-3 minutes.
- Cover with a tea towel and let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes. This will help the flour to absorb the water.
- After 20-30 minutes, add the salt to the rested dough with a splash of water and turn the mixer back on. Gradually add the remaining 5% of water and mix for approximately 7-9 minutes until the dough is smooth. If you have a thermometer it’s a good idea to check the temperature of the dough at this stage. The dough should be 21-23°C.
- Turn the dough out onto the worktop and form into a ball. Cover the dough and let it rest for a further 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, lift the dough off the worktop and fold it over a few times before shaping back into a ball. This will increase the tension in the dough giving you a stronger structure and make the dough much smoother. When the ball is formed, transfer to an airtight container and let the dough ferment at room temperature for 18 hours.
- After 18 hours the dough should have risen considerably. Remove from the container and divide into three equal sized portions.
- Using your hands, form the dough portions into tight balls. If you find the dough to be a bit sticky, rub a little bit of olive oil or water onto your hands.
- Transfer the dough balls into lightly oiled individual containers for 4-6 hours at room temperature (adding the oil to the containers will help when you come to remove the dough balls from the containers and maintain their round shape). Alternatively, once the dough balls are in the oiled containers, you can put them in the fridge for up to 24 hours (removing them from the fridge 2-3 hours before cooking to let them get back to room temperature). In my experience, the additional time in the fridge will give you a softer, tastier dough, so if you do have the time, it is something I recommend.
- When the dough balls have rested for 4-6 hours (or 2-3 hours after removing them from the fridge), fire up your pizza oven aiming for a stone temperature of 430-450°C.
- Tip out a dough ball onto a floured worktop (I like to use fine semolina flour) and cover with some extra flour.
- Flip the dough ball over and from one side, using the palm of your hand, carefully press the dough out into an oval shape until it is roughly 7×10 inches. Next, transfer the dough to a floured wooden peel and using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 6-8 vertical strips.
- When the stone temperature has reached 430-450°C, launch the dough strips into your pizza oven and cook for 60-90 seconds turning them 180 degrees halfway through to achieve a nice even bake.
- Remove the dough strips from the oven and transfer to a plate.
- Make the garlic and herb butter by adding the butter, garlic and parsley into a microwavable bowl and microwave until melted.
- Spoon the garlic and herb butter over the dough strips and eat whilst hot.
And a HUGE thank you to lovely Lily for manning our video recordings for the day and for being a part of the podcast.
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The Foodbod Pod is brought to you in partnership with Matthews Cotswold Flour. For the biggest and best range of flours in the UK, visit their site and let the baking fun begin!
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