Unami Pizza Extraordinaire - wild mushroom, roasted garlic, Parmesan, mint and parsley

Wild Mushroom, Garlic And Mint Pizza
Gordon Ramsay

Serves 2-4

2 large cloves garlic
6 tbsp extra virgin oil, plus extra to drizzle
200g chopped fresh wild mushrooms
2 tbsp corn meal
1 basic pizza dough
100g freshly grated parmesan, plus shavings
3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 210C/Gas 7.

2 Place the garlic cloves in a small ovenproof dish, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with black pepper. Cover and bake while oven is preheating, shaking the pan occasionally, until the garlic cloves are soft and golden, for 15-20 minutes. Set aside.

3 Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan, add the mushrooms and sauté over a high heat for 4-5 minutes. Season with pepper, and reserve.

4 Lightly oil a pizza stone or baking tray and sprinkle with corn meal. On a well-floured surface, roll the dough out
to form a 20cm circle. Transfer it to the prepared pan and cover with the grated parmesan, leaving a 2.5cm rim around the edge.

5 Spoon the cooked mushrooms evenly over the cheese. Arrange the roasted garlic and the parmesan shavings on top. Sprinkle with the mint and parsley. Season well with salt and pepper (but do not oversalt!), drizzle lightly with olive oil, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

Verdict: This pizza sounds unconventional, and it is, and the flavors meld and elevate beautifully, like a great symphony. The mint overlays the sweeping groundswell of shiitake mushrooms I used, an earthly delectable slice of heaven. More flavorful than the pistachio rosa pizza previously posted, this combo with roasted garlic and more will surely satisfy and blow your pizza works.