Post by La Bestia Polar on Aug 4, 2017 15:00:08 GMT
In honour of the start of my Pertwee era marathon I’ve taken to the kitchen.
But what’s this?
New oven. New Testament.
That’s right. We’re reimagining the Banana Doolittle.
The concept is simple. Using all the original ingredients, adjusting amounts where necessary, and adding as little extra as possible to create a whole new way of Doolittling - the Doolittle Pizza is born!
I’m accompanied on this mission by the wife (aka The Polar Two) who has been of great assistance. However, she is not so keen as to make Doolittle the main course (heathen) and so we made two pizzas. One Doolittle and the other a bizarre creation with olives, mushrooms, anchovies and mozzarella. Each to their own. The amounts below have been reduced for making only a single 12 inch thin crust Doolittle Pizza.
Ingredients:
190g strong flour
1 teaspoon easy bake yeast
125ml warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
Half a small/medium onion
4 medium tomatoes (for passata) - add more if you like it saucy
1 medium tomato or a few cherry tomatoes (for topping)
Tomato puree
Garlic puree
3 chipolatas
1 banana
12g butter
25g caster sugar
Dried basil
Salt and pepper
(yeah, I forgot a bunch of stuff for the photo)
Start by making your dough. Stir the flour, yeast, a pinch of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt in a bowl. Then add the water and olive oil and mix until it comes together. Turn out on a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. It should be smooth and elastic. Leave in a lightly oiled bowl and cover (I used clingfilm) for at least an hour.
While we wait for the dough it’s time to prepare the toppings. Multi-tasking required.
Start your passata (unless you want to buy a ready made one). Grate the onion and tomatoes. Grating the tomatoes makes it easy to remove and discard the skin. In a saucepan fry the onion in a little olive oil. Add the tomatoes, dried basil, salt, pepper, a little garlic puree and if desired a blob of tomato puree for a richer flavour and to help thicken the sauce. Cook for about 20 minutes or until it has a thick consistency. You can do this the day before and leave it in the fridge.
You can get your chipolatas cooking at the same time, either grill or fry. And when they’re both done leave to cool.
Now to caramelise the banana. This didn’t go so well the first time because I completely forgot to not stir the sugar before it properly melted and created a nasty scrambled rock sugar thing. The Polar Two stepped in and helped out.
Slice the banana. Take the remaining sugar and cook on a moderate heat in a frying pan until it has melted - don’t stir. Take it off the heat and add the butter and a desert spoon of cold water. Then return to the heat and add your banana bits. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, turning halfway. It cooks fast and I found I’d cut the Banana too thin so it went too mushy for my liking. So a third attempt was required. This time with fat chunky bits of Banana cooked fast. Turn out the banana. Let it cool, takes a few minutes.
Get your toppings ready.
Cut the banana bits in half through the less cooked centre. Makes a better size for eating.
Slice your chipolatas. I did them lengthways and in half.
Slice some fresh tomato.
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius. Now get your risen dough. Knock it back into shape giving it a quick knead. Then roll into a circle. Put on a baking tray (oil or line as necessary). Spread your passata on. Add your toppings. It’s ready for the oven. I cooked it for 13 minutes.
BEFORE...
READY TO EAT!
VERDICT: That’s a mighty fine pizza! I’m well and truly doolittled. It’s kind of like a more advanced Hawaiian pizza. The banana is still an odd choice but sweetening it up seems to do the trick (might not be necessary though). Your mileage may vary. Ultimately I scoffed the lot and even The Polar Two said it was alright.
For the record here is the oddity she chose to eat.
But what’s this?
New oven. New Testament.
That’s right. We’re reimagining the Banana Doolittle.
The concept is simple. Using all the original ingredients, adjusting amounts where necessary, and adding as little extra as possible to create a whole new way of Doolittling - the Doolittle Pizza is born!
I’m accompanied on this mission by the wife (aka The Polar Two) who has been of great assistance. However, she is not so keen as to make Doolittle the main course (heathen) and so we made two pizzas. One Doolittle and the other a bizarre creation with olives, mushrooms, anchovies and mozzarella. Each to their own. The amounts below have been reduced for making only a single 12 inch thin crust Doolittle Pizza.
Ingredients:
190g strong flour
1 teaspoon easy bake yeast
125ml warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
Half a small/medium onion
4 medium tomatoes (for passata) - add more if you like it saucy
1 medium tomato or a few cherry tomatoes (for topping)
Tomato puree
Garlic puree
3 chipolatas
1 banana
12g butter
25g caster sugar
Dried basil
Salt and pepper
(yeah, I forgot a bunch of stuff for the photo)
Start by making your dough. Stir the flour, yeast, a pinch of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt in a bowl. Then add the water and olive oil and mix until it comes together. Turn out on a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. It should be smooth and elastic. Leave in a lightly oiled bowl and cover (I used clingfilm) for at least an hour.
While we wait for the dough it’s time to prepare the toppings. Multi-tasking required.
Start your passata (unless you want to buy a ready made one). Grate the onion and tomatoes. Grating the tomatoes makes it easy to remove and discard the skin. In a saucepan fry the onion in a little olive oil. Add the tomatoes, dried basil, salt, pepper, a little garlic puree and if desired a blob of tomato puree for a richer flavour and to help thicken the sauce. Cook for about 20 minutes or until it has a thick consistency. You can do this the day before and leave it in the fridge.
You can get your chipolatas cooking at the same time, either grill or fry. And when they’re both done leave to cool.
Now to caramelise the banana. This didn’t go so well the first time because I completely forgot to not stir the sugar before it properly melted and created a nasty scrambled rock sugar thing. The Polar Two stepped in and helped out.
Slice the banana. Take the remaining sugar and cook on a moderate heat in a frying pan until it has melted - don’t stir. Take it off the heat and add the butter and a desert spoon of cold water. Then return to the heat and add your banana bits. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, turning halfway. It cooks fast and I found I’d cut the Banana too thin so it went too mushy for my liking. So a third attempt was required. This time with fat chunky bits of Banana cooked fast. Turn out the banana. Let it cool, takes a few minutes.
Get your toppings ready.
Cut the banana bits in half through the less cooked centre. Makes a better size for eating.
Slice your chipolatas. I did them lengthways and in half.
Slice some fresh tomato.
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius. Now get your risen dough. Knock it back into shape giving it a quick knead. Then roll into a circle. Put on a baking tray (oil or line as necessary). Spread your passata on. Add your toppings. It’s ready for the oven. I cooked it for 13 minutes.
BEFORE...
READY TO EAT!
VERDICT: That’s a mighty fine pizza! I’m well and truly doolittled. It’s kind of like a more advanced Hawaiian pizza. The banana is still an odd choice but sweetening it up seems to do the trick (might not be necessary though). Your mileage may vary. Ultimately I scoffed the lot and even The Polar Two said it was alright.
For the record here is the oddity she chose to eat.