Ren Behan - Author Wild Honey and Rye

Food Writer

Pizza

Pizza Pasta Soup

Think of this as a hearty soup, suitable for stretching a little leftover bolognese. You could also use a jar of tomato sauce – a good quality one and add the same amount of stock to achieve a soup consistency. On other occasions, I’ve thrown in chopped, fried pepperoni, mushrooms or shredded chicken. A good sprinkle of mozzarella is a must and a big heap of grated Parmesan cheese for the top. Fresh basil or oregano is lovely, too. Get creative!

Pizza Pasta Soup

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Rainy Day Pizza Pasta Soup

Prep

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Total

Yield 4

A great way to use up leftover tomato or Bolognese sauce. Simply add a handfull of pasta and some of your favourite 'toppings' such as chopped, fried pepperoni, mushrooms, or shredded chicken. Add grated mozzarella and a good handful of Parmesan cheese on the top.

Ingredients

  • 500g/two cups Bolognese or good quality tomato sauce (leftovers are ideal)
  • 250ml/one cup vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • sea salt
  • black pepper
  • 280g/2 cups cooked pasta
  • 100g mozzarella, torn or grated
  • 100g fresh Parmesan cheese
  • 1 small bunch fresh basil, leaves and stalks separated
  • (optional - fried pepperoni, mushrooms or shredded chicken)

Instructions

  1. Pour the Bolognese or tomato sauce into a large pan. On a medium heat, bring to the boil. Add in the stock and stir well. Add in the bay leaf. Stir in half a teaspoon each of sea salt and black pepper.
  2. When hot, add in the cooked pasta and stir. Remove the bay leaf Add the optional extras, such as pepperoni, if using. Divide the soup between four bowls.
  3. Add the torn mozzarella, and top with grated Parmesan cheese and a few basil leaves per bowl.
  4. Serve straight away

Cuisine Italian-ish

Pizza Pasta Soup

 

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Review: Winter Dining at Pizza Express, Westfield London

Pizza Express Pizza Carbonara

The mention of a new Carbonara Pizza on the Autumn/Winter menu at Pizza Express caught my attention in an email recently. The merging of two of my favourte things – Carbonara and pizza on one plate. Why was this not something I’d tasted before? A marriage made in heaven in my books and one that didn’t disappoint on flavour when I tried it at Pizza Express in Westfield, London.

Of course, there is always more on the menu to tempt you at Pizza Express than pizza, not least their signature Dough balls – available in a sweet form (Snowball dough balls) this Christmas. Founded in 1965 by Peter Boizot, Pizza Express was the first to bring pizza to the UK high street. It’s always a great option for a bite to eat with a friend, or with the children and the service is usually friendly and efficient.

…

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Restaurant Review: Pizza East Portobello and Discovering Burrata!

My visit to Pizza East Portobello was quite memorable for two reasons. Firstly, it was the first place in which I ate burrata, a fresh Italian cheese made from mozarella and cream made in a tiny village in Puglia. The Independent described it as “Britain’s new big cheese. Ultra-soft, creamy burrata is replacing mozzarella as the grande formaggio on all the best menus.” If you try it once, you’ll know why. It was the best food discovery for me in 2011 and I can’t wait to try it again, particularly during asparagus season as it is said to be the perfect match. I’ve since only eaten it once more locally, with a ripe tomato and basil salad, at a restaurant called The Akeman in Tring. My mission this year is to find more of it!

The stunning interior of Pizza East Portobello was designed by Martin Brudnizki, who also designs many of the Jamie’s Italian chains. Since Jamie is opening one in St Albans very soon, I am as hopeful about the decor as I am about the potential arrival of the burrata. 

The second reason this trip was memorable was that I happened to be sitting next to American chef Anthony Bourdain whilst at Pizza East. If dining there is good enough for him…

 

Pizza East Portobello is the latest Soho House Group restaurant to hit West London and, yet again, is bang on the money. As the group has proved already with its East London counterpart, affordable food made with good quality ingredients offered in fashionable surroundings is a winning combination.

A bold blue and white striped balcony now beckons visitors from its corner location on Portobello and Golborne Road, once occupied by The Fat Badger. Pizza East Portobello captures the modest charm of a traditional Italian American pizzeria, whilst offering the trendy crowd of Portobello some eye-candy in the way of reclaimed mismatched café chairs and distressed wooden and marble tables.

A beautiful dark wooden ‘deli’ bar is adorned with vintage weighing scales, salami hanging on hooks and a gelato counter to the side.

Tall windows across two floors of seating allow the light to flood in from every angle, particularly at breakfast-time, as the day is started with house-made sourdough bread, duck-eggs and good strong Italian coffee. By lunchtime the ‘All Day’ menu kicks in and doesn’t really stop until late in the evening. Throughout the day, deli produce, in the form of cured meats and cheeses, is available to take away.

White tiled walls and an exposed white metal ceiling ensure that even at night, as pretty tea lights sit in empty conserve jars and the warmth of the open wood-fired pizza oven glows, the packed atmosphere is cosy yet unconfined. On the tables, red wine is served in tumblers and rustic chunky cutlery sits on chequered napkins, which match the striking black-and-white chequered marble floor.

There is a very quick turnaround at the deli bar and open pizza counter as locals stop in to take a pew and share antipasti. The Bone Marrow Bruschetta (£5) and Chargrilled Squid with Salsa Verde (£6) are big hits, as are wooden counter boards with deli produce (choose any 3 for £12). Peroni is on constant tap, served in tall, chilled glasses. The wine list (almost exclusively Italian) offers a fantastic regional selection.

Whatever takes your fancy on the menu, make sure it includes burrata – a fresh, creamy mozzarella cheese sourced from a village in Puglia barely able to keep up with demand. By the end of a busy week it may not even be available. Pizzas (between £7 and £11) are hand-stretched and slow- proved; the Burrata, Tomatoes, Olives and Thyme Pizza is the number one choice though other wood oven specialities, such as the Crispy Pork Belly (£13) also compete for attention. Salads and sides follow the seasons and change almost monthly. If you have room, the Salted Caramel and Chocolate Tart (£4) already has something of a cult following.

Pizza East Portobello is proving to be very popular from the outset, carrying the Soho House Group badge of quality as well as offering its own unique edginess. Attention to design detail and good service prompt the feeling that Pizza East Portobello has always existed. Pizza East do not offer a reservation system, but the quick turnaround at the deli bar and two floors of seating mean that you should have no problem being served.

This review was first published in Flavour Magazine, London in 2011. With many thanks to Flavour Magazine and the Soho House Group.

Image credits – Soho House Group. The cost of the meal was covered by the Soho House Group.

Easy Peasy Home Made Pizza

I’m going to make you very hungry… This week has been another busy week. Inspired by my recent pasta making course, I turned my hand to the art of making home made pizza. Just like the pasta, now that I have made my own from scratch, I feel very reluctant to buy it from the shop since home made is so much better, a little bit of time permitting!

My friend Chris, who once made us a really delicious pizza for the kids’ tea (with ham and grated carrot on top!) kindly gave me her recipe file. Unfortunately, since the file is a sort of scrapbook with recipes collected from magazines or recipe cards over many years, I couldn’t find any other source to credit nor can I find the same recipe online, so I have adapted it before sharing it with you below. I’m sure that there are many other variations and more authentic recipes, but this one works and the dough should be lovely, light and crispy.
Chris assured me that it wasn’t so hard to make and it’s also a lovely activity for the kids to get involved with, particularly helping to knead the dough and preparing the toppings while the pizza dough is resting. My little boy enjoys tearing the ham (or even better a Polish garlic sausage called Kielbasa) as well as chopping the mushrooms with a safety knife. My little girls loves the texture of buffalo mozarella and enjoys pulling it apart and eating it along the way. We also like tuna and mushrooms and now, inspired by Chris, almost always add grated carrot on top for a bit of extra goodness.
I’m not saying it isn’t messy, but since there are plenty of jobs that little ones can help with, which makes it a perfect rainy day activity. Although actually, since we love pizza, really any day will do, even a sunny one!
Making the dough is actually fairly straightforward. An ‘Italian Mama’ would bring it all together on a wooden table but we made ours in a bowl to contain some of the mess! Using a  mixer with a dough hook attachment would work well too. You probably need to knead the dough for around ten minutes.  
Kneading the dough will warm and strentch the gluten strands, the longer you knead the lighter your dough will be. You can knead by hand or use a dough attachment on a mixer. As you knead the dough, push it with the palm of your hand and then bring it back again and keep repeating. This bit is quite hard for kids, but my little boy enjoyed having a go towards the end.
It needs a warm place to rest, and in the absence of a huge log fire, I leave mine next to the oven as it is preheating with the door slightly ajar.  An airing cupboard would work very well, but we don’t seem to have one. Once the dough has rested, whack up the heat on the oven and roll out the dough onto a floured surface before getting creative with your favourite toppings! 
This one has tuna fish, mushrooms, grated carrot, mozarella and basil. I always make sure that the tuna and mozarella are very well drained because otherwise you will end up with a soggy pizza.
My little boy enjoyed spreading  the tomato passata on the base and then chose Polish sausage, a bit of basil and a load of cheese all in one big blob – a little adjustment was needed before it went into the oven!
After fifteen minutes, out comes your pizza in true restaurant style!
It makes a really great kids tea, or you could make up a few batches of dough and host a pizza party.  I can promise you empty plates!
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Easy Peasy Home Made Pizza

Prep

Cook

Total

Yield 2

An easy pizza dough recipe to make with your kids. Makes two pizzas.

Ingredients

  • 225g plain flour (I used Italian '00' Flour)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons caster sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fast action dried yeast
  • 150 ml warm water
  • 2 tablespoons rapeseed or light olive oil
  • Extra flour for dusting/rolling
  • Tomato passata for the base
  • Your favourite toppings for the top

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7
  2. Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a bowl and then stir in the fast-action yeast.
  3. Add the oil to the warm water. Make a well in the middle and gradually add the warm water and oil, mixing with your hands as you go along. The mixture will feel quite lumpy, so keep bringing it together with your hands. Eventually, you should have a ball of soft dough, add a little extra sprinkle of flour if it is too sticky.
  4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured board or wooden table for around ten minutes.
  5. After around ten minutes, place your ball of dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Place it somewhere warm for an hour. This is a good time to prepare your toppings.
  6. After an hour, take it out of the bowl and again, on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough again for a further few minutes to deflate it/knock it back.
  7. Roll out, spread with tomato sauce and your favourite toppings.
  8. Place your pizza in the centre of a hot oven (on a pizza stone or a baking tray) for around fifteen minutes, or until the base is crispy and your cheese has melted.