Tommi says: “This recipe is inspired by the delicious open pizzas made of a wafer thin corn dough sold at night-time in two main streets in Oaxaca, Mexico for people rolling out of nearby bars. They are cooked over open fires and accompanied with various chilli salsas and beers or fizzy drinks to wash them down. I cheat here and use a basic pizza dough but by all means buy a dough ready to roll. They are messy and delicious, perfect weekend eating.” Preparation time: 40 minutes (plus rising time if you are making the dough) Cooking time: 10-15 minutes Serves: 6 Ingredients 500g new potatoes Olive oil 2 balls of mozzarella 100g freshly grated pecorino or mature cheddar A bunch of thyme For the dough (you can use a bought one if you prefer) 500g strong bread flour 1 x 7g sachet dry yeast 2 tsp sugar ½ Tsp salt 2 tbsp olive oil 320ml water To serve 2 Hass avocados, sliced 2 large handfuls of rocket Chilli oil Maldon salt
Pre-heat the oven to 220C, or the highest temperature your oven will go. Start the yeast by using ¼ of the warm water, and ½ the sugar and the yeast. Mix well and set aside for 5-10 minutes until you see the yeast going frothy in the water. In a mixing bowl sift the flour, salt and remaining sugar together. Whisk in the frothy yeast, olive oil and remaining water and then knead together with your hands to bring the dough together. On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, this will take about five minutes. Place in a lightly oiled bowl covered with cling film to rise until doubled in size (about an hour). Scrub the potatoes clean and simmer until tender in boiling, salted water. Cool slightly and then slice into thin rounds. Punch down the dough and on a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 balls of dough. Roll them out as thinly as you can (less than half a centimetre if possible) and then transfer them to pre-heated baking sheets. Drizzle each pizza with a little olive oil, and then top with torn up bits of the mozzarella. Scatter over the potato slices, the thyme and pecorino. Cook right at the bottom of the oven so the bases can crisp up or on a pizza stone. After around 30 minutes, or when they are crispy and golden, take out and scatter with rocket, some chilli oil, Maldon salt and some slices of Hass avocado. Recipe by Thomasina Miers in celebration of Avocado Week 2010 - 25th to 31st October.