Whipped Kahawai with Pickles and Pizza Bianca

, from Issue #81. November, 2018
Photography by Josh Griggs.
Whipped Kahawai with Pickles and Pizza Bianca

Don’t be put off by the low and slow rise of the pizza bianca dough – it takes time but is absolutely worth it.

Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS

Whipped kahawai
200 grams smoked kahawai, skin and bones removed, flaked
200 grams crème fraîche
zest and juice 1 lemon
½ teaspoon each sea salt and cracked pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1 handful flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons currants
Pickles
1 red onion, finely sliced
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Pizza bianca
500 grams plain white flour
10 grams active dried yeast granules
375 grams water
10 grams salt
25 grams extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons flaky sea salt and extra oil to finish

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 225°C fan bake.

Kahawai: Place kahawai, crème fraîche, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper in a food processor and pulse until smooth but still textured. Scrape into a bowl and fold through parsley. Top with currants before serving.

Pickles: Place red onion in a jar or small non-reactive bowl. Whisk together vinegar, water and sugar and pour over onion. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours or until ready to use.

Pizza: Sift the flour and yeast into a large bowl. Stir to combine. Make a well in the centre and pour in water, salt and olive oil. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to combine into a sticky dough. Cover and set aside for one hour.

Tip dough out of bowl onto a floured surface. With floured hands, gently stretch and pull the edges of the dough and fold back over themselves. Leave dough for 25 minutes then repeat this process. Place in an oiled bowl, cover tightly and place in the fridge for 10-15 hours.

Remove dough from the fridge, gently tip onto a floured surface and divide into 6 equal pieces. Repeat the fold-back technique on each piece. The dough should feel soft and bubbly. Using your finger tips, gently shape each portion of dough into a small pizza base, being careful to avoid popping too much air out of the dough. Brush pizza generously with oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until pizza is golden on top and cooked through.

To serve: Serve pizza with the kahawai dip and pickles.