80 ml (⅓ cup) extra-virgin
olive oil
1 tbsp chopped thyme
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
24 thick asparagus spears
(about 3 bunches), shaved
lengthways on a mandoline
1 buffalo mozzarella ball
(about 200gm), drained
and coarsely chopped
200 gm firm ricotta, plus extra
to serve
PIZZA DOUGH
2 tbsp olive oil
7 gm (1 sachet) dried yeast
1 tsp caster sugar
450 gm (3 cups) plain flour1 For pizza dough, combine
olive oil, yeast, sugar, ½ tsp
salt and 320ml lukewarm water
in a bowl and set aside until
foamy (2-3 minutes). Gradually
add flour, mix until a rough
dough forms, then turn out onto
a lightly floured surface and
knead until smooth and elastic
(6-8 minutes; the dough will be
quite soft and sticky). Place in
a lightly oiled bowl, cover with
plastic wrap and set aside until
doubled in size (1-1½ hours).
Knock back dough, knead
briefly, then cover and leave
until doubled in size (45 minutes
to 1 hour).
2 Meanwhile, preheat oven to
250°C and place 2 heavy-based
oven trays in oven to heat.
Combine olive oil, thyme, garlic
and lemon rind in a bowl and
season to taste.3 Divide dough into quarters,
then form each into a 30cm
round with the palm of your
hand or a rolling pin and place
each on a piece of baking
paper. Brush with a little oil
mixture and scatter with even
amounts of asparagus, then
mozzarella. Spoon dollops of
ricotta on top, drizzle with a little
extra oil mixture and season
to taste. Bake in batches on
heated trays, using baking
paper to slide them on and
swapping trays halfway through
cooking, until golden brown and
cooked through (6-8 minutes).
Serve pizze hot with extra
ricotta spooned in the centre
of each and drizzled with extra
oil mixture.
Wine suggestion Dry fiano.Asparagus and ricotta pizze bianche
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 20 MINS (PLUS PROVING)The simpler the better is our motto when it comes to pizza. Here it’s
all about milky ricotta and new-season asparagus. Pictured p98.150 gm (1 cup) plain flour, plus
extra for dusting
30 gm caster sugar
1½ tsp Dutch-process cocoa
½ tsp ground cinnamon
20 gm melted butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 eggwhite, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil, for
deep-frying
Pure icing sugar and grated
dark chocolate, to serve
CHOCOLATE FILLING
600 gm firm ricotta
120 gm dark chocolate
(54%-58% cocoa solids),
melted, plus extra
melted for drizzling
2 tbsp sweet Marsala
or chocolate liqueur
Finely grated rind
of ½ orange
2 tbsp cacao nibs
1 Pulse flour, sugar, cocoa and
cinnamon in a food processor
to combine, then add butter and
whole beaten egg and process
until a soft dough forms.
Turn out onto a lightly floured
surface and knead until smooth
and elastic (5-10 minutes), then
wrap in plastic wrap and chill for
1 hour to rest.
2 Cut dough into 4, dust lightly
with flour, then, working with a
piece at a time, feed through a
pasta machine, starting on the
widest setting, rolling and
folding and reducing settings
a notch at a time until dough
is 2mm thick. Cut into 9cm
squares, place on a lightly
floured tray and cover with
a tea towel.then slide cannoli shells off
tubes. Shells will keep in an
airtight container for a week.
5 For chocolate filling, process
ricotta, chocolate, Marsala and
orange rind in a food processor
to combine, then stir in cacao
nibs. Transfer to a piping bag
fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle
and refrigerate until firm
(30 minutes), then pipe ricotta
mixture into each end of cannoli
tubes to fill. Dust with icing
sugar, scatter with grated
chocolate and serve with extra
melted chocolate for drizzling.
Note Cannoli tubes are
available from kitchenware
shops; otherwise use dried
cannelloni pasta tubes.
Wine suggestion Golden passito.Chocolate cannoli
MAKES 12 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 20 MINS (PLUS RESTING)
Crisp-shelled cannoli are the perfect afternoon pick-me-up, especially with an espresso. Fillings
range from pastry cream to spiced ricotta, and this chocolate ricotta version is irresistible. Pictured p99.
3 Place a pastry square in the
palm of your hand with a corner
at 12 o’clock, then place a
cannoli tube (see note) on top
so it lays from 12 o’clock to six
o’clock. Fold pastry corners
around the tube so the corners
overlap, brush lightly with
eggwhite (be careful not to
brush eggwhite on the tube,
or the cannoli shells will be
hard to remove) and press to
seal. Repeat with remaining
pastry squares.
4 Heat oil in a deep-fryer
or deep saucepan to 180°C.
Deep-fry cannoli in batches,
turning occasionally, until crisp
and golden (2-3 minutes; be
careful, hot oil will spit). Drain
on paper towels, cool slightly,