Watercress & Blue Cheese Pizza

by The Watercress Company

Makes 4 small pizzas

Ingredients

Pizza Dough:

• 500g strong white flour
• 1 tsp table salt
• 7g dried yeast
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 325ml lukewarm water
• Plain flour for dusting

Sauce:

• 200g tinned tomatoes
• 2 heaped tablespoons tomato puree

Toppings:

• 100g grated mozzarella
• 75g blue cheese (we like Dorset Blue Vinny)
• 1 small butternut squash
• 50g watercress
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.  Make the pizza dough by combining the flour and salt in a large bowl.  Then take a measuring jug and whisk together the warm water, sugar, olive oil and yeast.   Leave the liquid for a few minutes to allow the yeast to activate.  If you can see lots of bubbles on the surface then this means the mixture is ready.
2. Make a well in the centre of the flour, then slowly pour in the liquid.  Use a fork to combine, then use your hands once the dough starts to come together.    Mix with your hands until the dough has come together into a ball then turn out onto a floured work surface.  
3. Now for the hard work!  If you have an electric mixer with a dough hook you can use this to mix the dough, 4 minutes on a medium-high speed should be enough.  Alternatively do it the old fashioned way and knead by hand for about ten minutes, or until you have a smooth, springy dough.
4. Dust a large bowl with flour then place the kneaded dough inside.  Cover with a damp cloth and leave to prove in a warm place for about 45 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
5. While the dough is proving, peel and de-seed the butternut squash.  Dice into 2cm chunks, place on a roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Put the tray into the pre-heated oven and roast the squash for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through and beginning to colour around the edges.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.