Meera Sodha's vegan recipe for pizzette with romesco and leeks

From theguardian.com

A no-fuss, quick pizza with a store-cupboard sauce

In the past, I would organise my diary around making pizza dough. Its list of needs: special ‘00’ flour, damp cloths, a certain temperature to prove and a double knead seemed greater to me than those of a newborn baby.

But then, one day, I threw off my pizza-schedule shackles, used plain flour instead, didn’t prove or knock back the dough and instead whacked it straight in the oven, and a joyous, thin, crisp and chewy pizza emerged 20 minutes later. A coup for hungry mouths and impatient cooks alike.

In this recipe, I’ve covered the base with a store-cupboard romesco sauce and some leeks, but really it’s just a starting point for any topping adventure.

Meera Sodha’s pizzette with romesco and leeks. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian. Food styling: Emily Kydd. Prop styling: Louie Waller. Food assistant: Katy Gilhooly. Photo assistant: Sam Reeves.

Pizzette with romesco sauce and leeks

Prep 25 min
Cook 30 minServes 2-4

For the dough
400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2½ tbsp olive oil
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp salt
7g dried active yeast

For the romesco
75ml light olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
25g dried breadcrumbs
½ tsp salt
2 tsp sweet paprika
50g sundried tomatoes (ie, about 6), drained and roughly chopped
100g toasted flaked almonds
375g jarred roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped

For the topping
2 small leeks (200g), cut on an angle into ½cm slices
2 tbsp olive oil

Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Combine the flour, oil, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl, add 200ml warm water, then mix with your hands and knead in the bowl until you have a smooth dough. Cover with a tea towel and put to one side for a moment.

Next, make the romesco sauce. Warm the oil and half the crushed garlic in a frying pan over a medium heat and after a minute or two, as soon as the garlic begins to turn golden, add the breadcrumbs, half a teaspoon of salt and the paprika. Fry, stirring, for a minute or so, until the breadcrumbs turn a rich, golden colour, then add the sundried tomato pieces, almonds, peppers and the remaining garlic, and stir until everything is just warmed through.

Leave to cool, then scrape into a food processor, blitz smooth (if need be, add a couple of tablespoons of water to get to a good saucy consistency) and transfer to a bowl.

Lightly dust two large baking trays with flour. Divide the dough into four even pieces (about 160g each), roll or press each one into 20cm rounds, then put two on each tray and spread two or three tablespoons of romesco over each pizzette, leaving a small rim at the edge. Put the leeks in a bowl, toss with the olive oil, then pile over the top of the pizzette (it will look like a lot, but it’ll reduce when cooked). Bake in the hot oven for 15-20 minutes, until the dough is puffed up and golden and the leeks are crisp, and serve with a cold glass of white wine, preferably Spanish.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/may/02/meera-sodha-vegan-recipe-for-pizzette-with-romesco-and-leeks