Pizza pizzaz with delectable dulce de leche cheesecake

SHARON GLASS

Long pizzas with assorted toppings

These unusually shaped long pizzas are crispy, thin, and decorated with a variety of toppings. These can be just as adventurous as you want them to be.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Dough

500ml (2 cups) flour

10ml (2 tsp) sugar

10g (0.35 oz) instant yeast

10ml (2 tsp) coarse salt

30ml (2 Tbs) olive oil

250ml (1 cup) warm water

Mix dry ingredients together. Stir the olive oil and warm water together. Then fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and knead well to make a dough. Place in an oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to rise for about an hour in a warm place.

Toppings

olive tapenade or sun-dried tomato paste

mushrooms, sliced and fried

zucchini, sliced in ribbons

roasted eggplant

soft mozzarella balls, sliced

fresh rosemary, thyme, or basil

coarse salt

black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Divide dough in half. Roll out very thinly into two long rectangles. Spread with either the tapenade or tomato paste. Then top with a selection of vegetables. Scatter with mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with fresh herbs. Season well with salt and pepper.

Bake on the oven’s middle rack for about 15 minutes or until bubbling and golden. Slide off the baking tray and place directly on the oven rack for about five minutes.

Chef’s tip: I love topping these pizzas with whatever takes my fancy that day. I sometimes add some caramelised onions and a few drops of pesto for a delicious change.

Serves 4-6

Dulche de leche cheesecake

The caramel sauce marbled into this ultra-creamy cheesecake leaves a delectable taste on your tongue. Forget about the diet when eating this.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 90 minutes

Ingredients

150g (5.29 oz) Amaretti biscuits, crushed

45g (1.5 oz) unsalted butter, melted

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Mix crushed biscuits with the unsalted butter and press onto the bottom and a little up the sides of a 24cm (9 inch) springform tin. Bake crust until just browned. Set aside to cool.

Filling

250ml (1 cup) mascarpone

250ml (1 cup) Philadelphia cream cheese

500ml (2 cups) cream cheese

4 eggs

250ml (235g) castor sugar

60ml (38g) flour

5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence

Method

Place all ingredients in a food processor, and pulse until just mixed through, smooth and creamy.

Pour into pre-baked crust shell. Lower oven temperature to 140°C. Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until just set. Turn oven off and cool in oven for about 30-40 minutes before removing from oven. Refrigerate when cool. Remove from fridge about two to three hours before serving.

Dulce de leche sauce

80ml (⅓ cup) treacle brown sugar

60ml (¼ cup) cream

60ml (¼ cup) condensed milk

Bring sugar and cream to a boil, and simmer until sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the condensed milk. Cool. Drizzle over the top of the cheesecake just before serving. Top with sugared pecans.

Sugared pecans

100g (3 oz) pecans

60ml (¼ cup) water

80ml (⅓ cup) icing sugar

Dip nuts into water. When they are wet, roll them in icing sugar. Place on a baking tray and bake in a preheated 140°C oven for about 15 minutes or until toasted. Keep in a Tupperware until ready to use.

Chef’s tip: refrigerate cheesecake, and then remove before serving to bring to room temperature for a few hours.

Serves 8-10