Margherita naan pizza recipe

Details

• Cuisine: Indian
• Recipe Type: Pizza
• Difficulty: Medium
• Preparation Time: 60 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Serves: 2

Step-by-step

To make the ghee:

1. Line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth and place over a clean, dry 480ml (16 floz) jar with a tight-fitting lid to hold the finished ghee. Set aside.
2. In a heavy, medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter, stirring occasionally with a large metal spoon. As the butter starts to melt, skim off and discard any foam that rises to the surface.
3. Cook until all the water in the butter boils off and the fat stops sizzling and turns a deep golden yellow. The milk solids at the bottom of the saucepan will be reddish brown. The entire process should take 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully pour the liquid through the cheesecloth-lined strainer into the jar. Seal the jar and store the ghee in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months, or indefinitely in the refrigerator.

To make the naan dough:

1. Using a fork, whisk the milk, egg, yogurt, butter, sugar and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle with the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes. The mixture should be bubbly on the surface.
2. Put the flour in a large bowl or mound on a clean work surface and make a well in the centre. Pour the yeast mixture into the middle of the well. Using clean hands or a large wooden spoon, gradually mix the flour from the inside wall of the well into the liquid to form a sticky dough. Knead well for 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Fold the dough by grabbing it from the underside and stretching it and folding it back over itself. Rotate a quarter of a turn and repeat three or four times.
4. Brush a large bowl with a little oil and put the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a dark, warm place until doubled in size, about 4 hours.

To make the pizzas:

1. Place a baking sheet or a pizza stone on a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 260°C/500°F/gas mark 10 for 30 minutes.
2. Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape into balls. Cover one ball with a kitchen towel.
3. On a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll the remaining ball into a circle 4 mm (an eighth of an inch) thick and 30 cm (12 inches) in diameter. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel. Repeat with the second ball of dough.
4. Crack the coriander lightly with a mortar and pestle, add the nigella seeds and chilli flakes, and set aside.
5. Prepare one pizza at a time. Flip over a baking sheet, wrong-side up, and place a sheet of parchment paper on the baking sheet. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the flour and 1 teaspoon of the cornmeal on the parchment to coat evenly.
6. Place a rolled-out circle of dough on top of the paper and drizzle with a little melted ghee. Spread out half of the tomatoes over the dough.
7. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella and 1 tablespoon of the spices in the mortar. Slide the circle of dough onto the preheated baking steel, discard the parchment paper, and shut the oven door.
8. Lower the heat to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7 and bake until the edges of the crust start to turn golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
9. Garnish with half the chopped chives and flaky salt, and drizzle with a little extra ghee.
10. Repeat with the remaining circle of dough and the other half of ingredients and serve the pizzas hot.

This recipe is from Season by Nik Sharma (Chronicle Books, £26). Photography by Nik Sharma.