Ultimate Garden Party with Home Pizza Ovens

Level up your outdoor gatherings with delicious recipes from chef James Strawbridge

Summertime means sunshine, brighter evenings, garden parties and of courses alfresco dining.  With the flexibility on the recent lockdown rules we can now extend our invitations to friends and family for outdoor socialising and what better way to get together than good company and good food.  We’ve teamed up with Home Pizza Ovens for some inspiring recipes from chef James Strawbridge PLUS we’re offering you the chance to WIN your very own Home Pizza Oven for two weeks, delivered complete with a starter kit of wood, recipes and some delicious ingredients and a package of Saltee goodies – the perfect summer package.

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Best known for his TV appearances alongside father Dick Strawbridge, James is a Cornish chef, food photographer and author. He’s also a keen environmental activist and sustainable living expert who has a real passion for growing your own and outdoor cooking.

James is currently working with specialist pizza oven retailer HomePizzaOvens.co.uk to bring these passions together, developing fresh, seasonal recipes that can be cooked on a pizza oven.

For the following pizza recipes, James has prepared his pizza base according to the guidelines of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, the recipe for which can be found here.

SUMMER PIZZA

New potato & rosemary with mascarpone

This pizza is inspired by some wood-fired potatoes that I tried last summer with elderflower and chargrilled lemon. As a pizza the combination of salad potatoes with floral elderflower and creamy mascarpone is a true celebration of summer. Try adding rocket pesto, some parmesan shavings and herb oil to finish. Other toppings that work really well with this Pizza Bianca are ribbons of baby courgettes, smoked salmon or trying it with sweet potato.

 Ingredients:

1 sourdough pizza base [see HomePizzaOvens.co.uk for recipe]

3-4 small new potatoes, finely sliced

2 tbsp mascarpone cheese

1 tbsp olive oil

1 sprig of rosemary, finely chopped

1 tsp capers or pickled wild garlic scapes

1 tsp lemon zest

1 bunch of elderflowers [if in season]

Pinch of cracked black pepper and sea salt

Method:

1. Preheat your pizza oven to 450˚C and then move the fire to one side.
2. Flour your peel with polenta and throw your pizza dough into a large circle approximately 30cm in diameter. Lay carefully onto the floured peel.
3. Top the dough with a layer of finely sliced potato and drizzle with olive oil. Dot mascarpone around the pizza and sprinkle evenly with capers, chopped rosemary, lemon zest and elderflowers if available. Then season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Bake your pizza bianca for 3 mins and then turn the pizza around. Bake for a further 2-3 minutes until the base is crispy and the cheese melts and bubbles. Finish with a rocket pesto and parmesan shavings.

Heritage tomato and black garlic pizza

Summer is all about home grown tomatoes and this home pizza oven recipe celebrates them with a slight twist. As well as their usual partners in crime basil and mozzarella we’ve used black garlic for an umami-rich, balsamic tone to the tomato sauce. Black garlic is fermented at low temperatures to develop a sweet, depth of flavour. The colourful medley of heritage tomatoes is finished with some charcoal sea salt for a summer show-stopper.

Ingredients:

1 sourdough pizza base [see HomePizzaOvens.co.uk for recipe]

2-3 sliced heritage tomatoes

75g torn mozzarella

6-8 basil leaves

Pinch of charcoal sea salt

For the tomato sauce:

1/2 shallot, finely diced

100ml passata

4 cloves of black garlic, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Pinch of dried oregano

½ tsp sea salt

½ tsp cracked black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat your pizza oven to 450˚C and then move the fire to one side.
2. Make your black garlic tomato sauce by sautéing the shallot in oil and then adding your black garlic, passata, oregano and vinegar. Reduce for 4-5 mins and season to taste. Allow to cool before using.
3. Flour your peel with polenta and throw your pizza dough into a large circle approximately 30cm in diameter. Lay carefully onto the floured peel.
4. Top the dough with a ladle of sauce and then arrange slices of colourful tomato across the dough. Dot with torn mozzarella and basil leaves.
5. Bake your pizza bianca for 3 mins and then turn the pizza around. Bake for a further 2-3 minutes until the base is crispy and the cheese melts and bubbles. Finish with charcoal sea salt.

Eton Mess pizza

If you have never tried a strawberry pizza before, then have a go at our version this summer. Strawberries pair surprisingly well with aromatic herbs and vinegar and can often be found in Italy served as a salad. The key to this recipe is macerate the strawberries beforehand in sugar and white balsamic vinegar. This helps to sweeten even unripe strawberries and provides an enhanced tart profile to the fruit. You can use mint or basil with this pizza, but I love the surprise of the pizza appearing to be a classic margarita with torn basil leaves. The taste remains wonderfully sweet so it’s perfect for an al fresco dessert. Serve with a rich, velvety dollop of clotted cream to make this a genuine gardener’s treat and garnish with broken meringue and a drizzle of elderflower cordial instead of oil.

Ingredients:

1 sourdough pizza base [see HomePizzaOvens.co.uk for recipe]

12 strawberries, finely sliced

50g caster sugar

2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar [you can use vinegar of Modena]

6-8 basil leaves

2 tbsp of clotted cream

1 broken meringue

1 tsp elderflower cordial or syrup

Pinch of cracked black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat your pizza oven to 450˚C and then move the fire to one side.
2. Macerate your sliced strawberries in sugar and vinegar. After gently tossing in the mixture leave covered in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
3. Flour your peel with polenta and throw your pizza dough into a large circle approximately 30cm in diameter. Lay carefully onto the floured peel.
4. Top the dough all of your strawberries and juice. Then add basil leaves and a pinch of cracked black pepper.
5. Bake your pizza bianca for 3 mins and then turn the pizza around. Bake for a further 2-3 minutes until the base is crispy and the cheese melts and bubbles.
6. Finish your pizza dessert by adding spoonful’s of clotted cream and broken meringue. As drizzle of elderflower cordial lifts with a lighter notes. Serve with more fresh berries and a glass of Pimm’s

Planning a garden party? What’s better than Pizza and Pimms? Beautiful, luxury suncare to protect your skin rom UVA and UVB rays whilst you’re outside.  Even on a cloudy day it’s essential to wear an ultra-high SPF.  Saltee suncare hydrates and nourishes with added coconut and natural essential oils.  Great for the whole family.

PLUS we’re offering you the chance to WIN your very own Home Pizza Oven for two weeks, delivered complete with a starter kit of wood, recipes and some delicious ingredients and a package of Saltee goodies – the perfect summer package.

ENTER HERE