Ricotta, spinach, mushroom and egg pizza
Our take on the Italian Fiorentina vegetarian pizza that’s topped with mushrooms, ricotta, spinach and egg.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt
- 300ml lukewarm water
- 500g type ‘00’ flour (from the baking aisle of large supermarkets), plus extra for dusting
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
For the sauces
- 120ml passata
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- Bunch fresh basil
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 150g ricotta
- Finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon
- 260g spinach
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
For the topping
- Handful large white mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 150g mozzarella, torn into chunks
- 60g parmesan or vegetarian alternative
- 4-6 medium free-range eggs
Instructions
- For the dough, put the yeast, sugar and salt in a measuring jug, pour over the warm water and allow the yeast to froth and dissolve. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, pour the liquid into the flour with the oil and stir to bring it together.
- If you have a mixer with a dough hook, knead the dough in it for 5 minutes until it springs back when lightly touched. Alternatively, knead on a floured work surface for 10-15 minutes until it’s smooth and springs back when lightly touched.
- Grease a mixing bowl and put the kneaded dough in it. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size – about an hour.
- To make the sauces, whizz the passata, vinegar, sugar, garlic, basil, salt and a good grind of pepper in a blender until smooth. Put the ricotta, lemon zest and juice in a bowl and beat together. Season and set aside.
- Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the spinach in batches and turn with tongs until it wilts. Remove and spread out on a plate to cool. Put the spinach in a clean tea towel and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible, then stir it into the ricotta.
- Heat the oven to 240°C/ 220°C fan/gas 9. Once the dough has risen, divide it in half and roll out each piece into a large round, about 25-30cm diameter and 0.5cm thick.
- Divide tomato purée, then the passata mixture, between each base, spreading over evenly with the back of a spoon. Dollop on the spinach and ricotta mix, then add the mushrooms, mozzarella and parmesan. Put on 2 lightly floured baking trays. Bake for 10 minutes, then pull out the trays and crack the eggs on top (2-3 per pizza). Bake for 3 more minutes for runny eggs or 5 for firm. Serve with a bitter leaf salad.
Notes
- Prepare the dough up to 24 hours in advance, to the end of step 3, but leave to rise in the fridge overnight rather than at room temperature. Bring to room temperature for an hour, then roll out as in the recipe.