Dick Mieli's Pizza Toppings

Our old friend, American chef Dick Mieli was visiting when we had our pizza tasting so we asked him to invent some new pizza toppings for us - and very tasty they turned out to be. What is more, they are all dairy free. However if you can eat cheese - or if you are a soya ‘cheese’ enthusiast, feel free to add some mozzarella to the Puttanesca (under the olives) although we think that the sardine and onion is really better without. The Puttanesca can be made in bulk and stored in the fridge or freezer, and the onions for the sardine and onions pizza can certainly be cooked a day in advance if need be.

‘Sort of’ Puttanesca

Wheat, gluten, corn, dairy, soya, egg & nut free

Serves 6

Since not everyone is as anchovy mad as we are, anchovy haters could substitute salami for the anchovy in this topping.

2 tbsp olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes, roughly mashed
leaves from 1 large sprig fresh rosemary or 2 tsp dried
24-30 stuffed green olives, halved or sliced
6 large anchovies, chopped finely or 6 slices spicy salami (check ingredients) cut into small matchsticks
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy, deep pan and gently fry the garlic for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes, rosemary, half the olives and the anchovies or salami.
Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes - the tomatoes need to reduce to a thick sauce. Season to taste.
When ready to cook, spread over the pizza base, scatter the remaining olives over the top and bake for 15 minutes in a hot oven.

Onions and Sardines
Wheat, gluten, corn, soya, dairy, nightshade & nut free

We have allowed for a thick layer of onions under the sardines; if you are less of an onion freak, reduce to three large onions.

Serves 6

3 tbsp olive oil
4 large or 8 medium onions, peeled and sliced thinly
6 sardines tinned in olive oil (11/2 x 120g tins)
juice 1 small lemon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a wide pan and add the onions. Cook gently for 5 minutes uncovered then cover the pan and sweat for 25-30 minutes or until the onions are quite soft and slightly caramelised.
To cook spread the onions over the pizza base. Drain the sardines and mash them roughly with a fork, then spread them over the onions. Squeeze over the lemon juice and grate over some salt and lots of black pepper.
Bake for 15 minutes in a hot oven.

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