This Pizza is a bit quirky, but Ohhh Mmmm G, once the creamy curds ooze out the Burrata I can’t help myself but just keep digging in.

This Pizza is almost like the Pizza Margherita but with a few added ingredients, Burrata and rocket salad. Burrata originally originated from Italys Puglia region and consists of an outer shell of mozzarella that surrounds a centre of curds and cream. The flavour of the curds has just a very subtle tanginess to it, and the texture is smooth and very creamy. I like to add fresh rocket salad to this pizza which gives it a nice balance. You could even ad a little prosciutto if you really like to spoil yourself.

You add the Burrata straight after the pizza comes out of the oven. The heat of the pizza will slightly warm the Burrata and as soon as you open the Burrata the creamy curd oozes out. Spread the curd over the pizza for a creamy cheesy topping.

Making Burrata is an artisan cheese the starts much like a mozzarella. Burrata is made from cows milk, rennet and cream. When making Burrata, the still-hot cheese is formed into a pouch, which is then filled with scraps of leftover mozzarella and topped off with fresh cream before closing. Burrata was first made around 1920 in Murgia in the south of Italy and after 1950 it became more widely available when some cheese factories started to make this cheese.

Who connected us?!  I had my first Burrata Pizza at one of Merivale joints “The Collaroy” on Sydneys Northern Beaches at a Rotary meeting. Now this is one of my favourites at home, just loving the little surprise in the Mozzarella ball.

Makes: 1 medium size pizza | Preparation of dough: 10 min |  Dough proving & resting time: 1,5 hours | Preparation of pizza ingredients; 10 min  |  Rolling & Baking: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• pizza dough recipe
• pizza sauce recipe
• Good quality Mozzarella Cheese, 100g
• Burrata, 1 ball
• Fresh Basil, ¼ bunch
• Rocket Salad, handfull

 

The pizza dough and sauce recipes are for 4 medium pizzas. I usually make several different pizza toppings, or just freeze a few half baked.

Assembling and baking your pizza

1. Start by making the Pizza Dough at least 1,5 hours before you have diner. Once the dough has risen and you divided the dough in portions to rest, you start preparing your other ingredients.
2. Prepare the pizza sauce
3. Wash the basil and tear the leaves from the stems.
4. Slice the mozzarella cheese into ½ cm thick pieces. Or use grated mozzarella.
5. Dust a clean surface and the dough with a little flour or semolina, and roll it out into a rough circle, about 3 mm thick.
6. Use a Pizza Stone or if you do not have any a baking tray works as well. Sprinkle some polenta on top of the pizza stone to prevent the pizza from sticking.
7. With a fork, make little holes in the pizza, this will improve the chance of getting a crispy pizza.
8. Smooth sauce over base with the back of a spoon working from the middle to the edge.
9. Scatter with the mozzarella cheese and basil.
10. Put the pizza in the preheated oven. Bake for 8-10 mins until crisp.
11. As soon as you take the pizza out of the oven, top the pizza with rocket salad, fresh basil and the Burrata.
12. Tear open the ball of Burrata, the curd will one out which you can then spread over the pizza.

 

Notes

Prosciutto: Who does not like a good prosciutto on his pizza, well on this pizza it is a perfect match with the Burrata. I prefer mine baked on the pizza, to release that bit of saltiness, but if you prefer to taste the sweetness of the prosciutto add it after you baked the pizza. Simply a divine combination.

Rocket salad: Add a little rocket salad after the pizza is baked. A perfect combination!

Mozzarella Cheese; If you really like to spoil yourself, buy some fresh buffalo mozzarella. Otherwise some pre-grated mozzarella cheese is perfect too.

Pizza Sauce: You can use my basic Pizza Sauce recipe or just use a tin of diced tomatoes.

Fresh basil: You can choose to add the fresh basil before baking the pizza or after to your own preference.

Dried Basil; If you really can’t get any fresh basil you can use some dried basil, but it just is not the same. If you do use dried basil I suggest to use it in the pizza sauce or sprinkle it on the pizza before baking, don’t add dried basil once the pizza is baked.

Hot hot hot: Turn on your oven to it’s highest setting, most likely around 250C°. Traditionally pizzas are baked in a wood fired oven reaching up to 450C°.