We Love Cooking!:
mozzarella

Thankfully work is that little bit less busy this week, which has given us time not only to play in the snow, but also to spend some more time in our new little house. It's not there just yet, but it's really starting to take shape and after numerous trips to IKEA we finally have enough furniture to fill the place! I wasn't feeling very at home in the house, mainly because the last three weeks had been so jam packed, dinner was eaten out and breakfast was bought on the way. I know I know, not exactly the perfect routine, but there had been no time to set up the kitchen just the way I like it. So the last few days we've been making big breakfasts and enjoying really tasty dinners using up the ridiculous amount of food I've left over from all the cooking we've been doing. Ireland, for my foreign visitors, at the moment is experiencing probably the most snow that I can even remember, so I think it's definitely time for some comfort food. This recipe was from a piece I wrote on comfort food for the Irish Independent. I suggest using ready to go gnocchi, but if you are lucky enough to be snowed in, it's all the more comforting to make them yourself!

Mozzarella, Tomato and Gnocchi Bake
Gnocchi in Italian translates as ‘lumps’, and it goes way beyond pasta as my ultimate bowl of indulgence. You can make the gnocchi yourself, but you should be able to pick up packs of the ready-made stuff quite easily. This dish combines the classic Italian flavours of tomato, mozzarella and basil, all baked together for a fantastic comforting dinner.

Serves 4
500g fresh gnocchi
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2x400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
2x125g mozzarella balls, sliced
1 tsp sugar
Handful of basil leaves
Sea salt and black pepper, to season

Cook the gnocchi according to the instructions on the packet, then drain and set aside. Heat the olive oil over a high heat and sauté the garlic and onion until soft. Add in the chopped tomatoes and chilli flakes and bring the sauce to the boil.
Lower the heat and cook at a steady simmer for 15 minutes until it has reduced. Add in the sugar and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Tumble the gnocchi into the pan and stir through with the tomato sauce until each piece is nicely coated.
Pour into a highsided baking dish (9in x 9in) and top with the mozzarella slices and torn basil leaves. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown and bubbling. Serve straight away in deep bowls with a little grated Parmesan.

Pizza was one of the first things I learned to cook when I was a kid, I think it was because the preparation is fairly hands on so it's a perfect starter recipe for younger aspiring cooks! The great thing about homemade pizza is that you can cater for the taste of every person you make it for. This recipes topping is just a suggestion but the same day I made this I made a pizza's with parma ham, goats cheese and peppers, so you can really use whatever takes your fancy.

For the pizza baking session, I had the help of my cousin Harry, who had decided to miss out on his Sunday morning rugby practice to make pizza. I don't know about you but I would obviously have made the same decision! His favourite part was getting to punch down the dough!

Chorizo and Mushroom Thin Crust Pizza

This dough creates a wonderfully, thin, crisp yet still chewy dough which ticks all the boxes for me! You can easily freeze the dough after it has finished rising, punch down, and pop in a freezer bag. Take it out the day before you plan to use it and allow to it to defrost in the fridge.

Makes 3-4 thin bases
255g of flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
175ml of very warm water
1 x 7.5g sachet of active dried yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For the topping
About 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce per pizza
175g of mozzarella
100g of chorizo, sliced thinly
1 large mushroom per pizza, sliced thinly

Combine the water, sugar, and yeast in a measuring jug. Set aside in a warm place in the kitchen for about 10-15 minutes or until it becomes frothy.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
When the yeast and water mixture has become frothy stir through the olive oil.
Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast and water mixture, using your fingers slowly combine the flour in from the sides and continue to mix until a rough dough forms.
Turn the dough out on a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. If the dough is too sticky add a little extra flour until it becomes smooth. Form the dough into a ball and turn in an oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and set in a warm spot for about 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
Punch the dough down, knead again for a minute and place back in the bowl to rise for an additional 10 minutes.
Split the dough into 3-4 pieces and roll out as thin as possible. Flour a baking sheet and transfer the pizza base to it. Spread the base with the tomato sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella, chorizo slices and mushroom pieces.
Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 200C/Gas Mark 6 or until the cheese turns golden and the crust becomes crisp.
Serve straightaway!