I've mentioned previously a few of my absolute favourite things: baklava (*sigh*), baked cheesecake, hirsute men named Adam… another is GOATS CHEESE. Oh yes. I remember when I gave birth to my first baby my darling friend Anita brought me into hospital not one but two jars of Meredith Dairy Goats cheese, the best ever.
Don't laugh, but I've discovered the ol' budget Aldi does a pretty good goats fetta. Not quite Meredith Dairy standard but really pretty good!
So tonight I teamed a number of my favourite things on a pizza: Roast pumpkin, leek and goats fetta. It would have sung with a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts but as I had the optimistic approach that the children would eat it, I left them off. Foolish.
Roast Pumpkin, leek and goats fetta pizza
base:
2.5 cups plain wholemeal flour
one 7g pkt yeast
1 tblsp olive oil (I use lemon infused)
1 tsp salt
200ml tap water
I confess: I use a breadmaker for this. I chuck it all in, and an hour and a half later I have perfect pizza dough to roll out and use.
Of course you can easily make it by hand, and I've done it this way too (pre-children.) You mix the dry ingredients together well first. Whisk the oil and the water together (and I'd use tepid water) till blended then stir all together, then knead. You'll need to knead it for a good 5 mins (at least) till warm in your hands (i.e. the yeast is now active). Sit in warm place, covered until doubled in size. Then beat down and knead again. It's ready to use now.
topping:
I roasted some butternut pumpkin in the oven with some dried herbs (I thought I had sage in the fridge and I didn't. That would be better.) I cooked one trimmed leek in a tiny bit of butter for a couple of minutes. First I spread the bases (I made 2 pizzas) with tomato paste. Then I sprinkled some herbs, then a handful of grated cheddar. Over that I put the leek, then the pumpkin, then the fetta and cooked them for about 20 mins. Smelt amazing and tasted fantastic.
Did the kids eat it? Nope. Tilly (2) ate the goats cheese only, Henry said, "I don't eat pizza." I did the whole 'this is dinner, you better eat it', for 20 mins. They're not usually that recalcitrant. They really didn't want it so they had tinned spaghetti instead. (I've never been able to let them leave the table without eating something, even if it's a really poor substitute like tonight. I know I probably should be tougher, but I just can't let food be a battle. I want them to relish good food.)
They happily tucked into spaghetti and a bowl of grapes while Adam and I polished off the pizza with a glass of wine.
So I hope your family dinner was more successful than mine!
xxx
