Recipe: James Tanner’s Isle of Wight Pizza

Celebrity chef and restaurateur, James Tanner has long been inspired by his visits to the Isle of Wight, choosing its local produce to feature on the menus of his hugely popular restaurants, The Kentish Hare and The Barbican Kitchen

We recently invited James to rediscover his favourite foodie destination. He embarked on a delicious road trip around the island, gathering fresh produce, from gin to garlic, from some of his favourite local farmers, fishermen, country stores and distilleries on a journey to create the ultimate pizza recipe, with an Isle of Wight twist. Here you can follow his recipes.

Yields 2x 12 inch bases

150g fine flour

150 plain flour (we recommend The Water Mill flour)

4g fresh yeast or 2g dried yeast

200g luke warm water

2 tsp fine salt

1 tsp olive oil

Put the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre.

In a jug mix the Luke warm water with the yeast and oil. Stir until the yeast is dissolved into the water then add to the well in the flour. Mix with your hand or in a kitchen mixer until combined. The dough will be sticky at this stage.

Next simply leave to stand uncovered for 15 minutes at room temperature to rest.

After 15 minutes has passed, lightly flour your hands and a work surface and knead the sticky dough. As you knead it for a few minutes the dough will start to come together and begin to be softer and smooth.

Divide into two equal balls, lay onto a floured tray and cover with cling film.

Prove overnight in the fridge and store until desired. This dough can be held in the fridge for up to 48 hours. When ready to use bring out to room temperature and shape, then top your pizza bases ready for a hot oven.

300g Passata (we recommend Tomato Stall Tomato Passata)

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp dried oregano

Pinch Wight Salt sea salt

Twist of black pepper

1 minced garlic clove (we recommend The Garlic Farm garlic)

Simply combine all ingredients together in a bowl and use as a base for your pizzas.

120g brown crab meat

100g mascarpone Cheese

100g white picked crab meat

Zest and juice of half a lemon

Pinch smoked paprika

80g blanched samphire

Basil leaf and rocket to garnish

Prepare your pizza base and drizzle over 3tbsp of basic tomato sauce.

Take the brown crab meat and put in a bowl with the lemon zest, half the juice a pinch of smoked paprika, salt, pepper and the mascarpone. Mix to combine and add spoonfuls of the mix over the pizza base.

Scatter over the samphire and cook in a pre-heated pizza oven for 5 minutes or a hot 210°c pre heated oven for 10-15 minutes.

Place onto serving board and scatter over basil, rocket and white crab meat. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.

100g blue cheese (we recommend Isle of Wight Blue)

3 slices of prosciutto, salami or your favourite cured ham/sausage

Handful of rocket

Extra virgin olive oil

Prepare your pizza base and smooth over a layer of basic tomato sauce.

Lay over your chosen cured meat. Break the Blue Cheese into small chunks and scatter all over pizza.

Cook in pre-heated pizza oven for 5 minutes or a pre-heated hot oven 210°c for around 10 minutes or until golden and crisp around the edges.

Serve with a scattering of rocket and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

 

For more James Tanner recipes visit https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chefs/james_tanner

25ml Mermaid Gin

25ml sweet vermouth

25ml Campari

Ice

slice of orange

Pour the Mermaid Gin, vermouth and Campari into a mixing glass or jug with ice. Stir well until the outside of the glass feels cold. Strain into a tumbler and add fresh ice, and garnish with an orange slice.