Roti Pizza with Kale, Anchovies and Bocconcini

I have just returned home from a trip to New York and am withdrawing from NY pizza. There is a beautiful difference in taste between NY pizza and pizza we have here in Australia. Not to mention you can find slices at Papa John’s for $1.00. That’s right, $1.00.

I’m going to share a food story with you that may be akin to food porn, without the violent slapping of salami onto chests and the sort. I had a horrible habit of having ‘pizza parties’ with my other half, the day after a big night, hung over and regretting my choices from the night before. ‘Pizza party’ was really euphuism for this, as the party had well and truly ended. I recall demolishing an 18 inch pepperoni pizza, with a couple of hot wings thrown in for good measure, all in the space of 24 hours.

So, I’ve decided, moving forward there needs to be an alternative solution lined up that’s a little cleaner, leaner and healthier for such times and to keep my addiction at bay. The answer – Roti Pizza.

They are incredibly easy to make, you know the quality of ingredients you’re ingesting and it will cost you a small fraction of the price. You can really chuck anything you have at home spare, onto the pizza.

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Enjoy!!

Ingredients

Yields 7 – 8 pizzas

Roti Dough (recipe from Taste.com.au)                                              

2 cups plain flour

1 cup water

½ tsp salt

30g butter

Vegetable oil (for cooking roti)

Ground Tomato Topping

2 – 3 roma tomatoes

¼ small onion

¼ red chilli

Coarse sea salt

1 garlic clove

3 - 4 basil leaves

Toppings

4 – 6 kale leaves, without stalk, massaged in olive oil

Anchovies to taste

6 – 8 bocconcini balls

Basil leaves to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Start by preheating the oven at 180 degrees C.

Roti Dough

Start by combining flour and salt in a bowl, making a well in the middle and adding water.  Knead dough for 5 – 10 minutes, adding flour as needed. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Melt butter and divide dough into 7 – 8 even pieces. Flatten each piece out with your hands and brush one side with butter. Role into a scroll shape and complete all rolls.

Heat a flat fry pan to high. Take the first ball, knead again, ensuring butter is worked through the dough. With a rolling pin and extra flour, roll out the dough and drop into frypan with a little oil. Try to keep the oil to a minimum as you want the roti to be charred and cooked without too much help from oil and butter.

Ground Tomato Topping

Finely chop all ingredients and combine with a pulsar or mortar and pestle, adding coarse salt to help break everything down.

Final Toppings

After each piece of roti has been cooked, place the ground tomato topping over each piece, dressing with the additional toppings listed.

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, or until bocconcini is melted.