Aria Fritta (Deep Fried Pizza) – Stefan’s Gourmand Weblog

Aria fritta actually means “fried air”. That is what chef Peppe Guida known as the deep fried pizza that he served as an appetizer at his agriturismo Villa Rosa (examine my go to right here). Additionally it is merely known as pizza fritta.

Once you chew into the deep fried pizza, you may see why fried air is an effective title for this.

As a joke he served the pizza with the topping on the plate beneath, so that you needed to choose up the pizza to find the topping. You have been then to interrupt the pizza into items along with your arms, and use the deep fried pizza to mop up the topping. I appreciated this very a lot and recreated this at residence. You may additionally place the toppings on the pizza after deep frying the dough, however that is extra enjoyable.

As you may think about, deep fried pizza is kind of filling, so for one particular person I exploit solely half of the quantity of pizza dough as for an everyday pizza. That is consolation meals at its finest.

Elements

Makes 4 servings

For the pizza dough

• 100 + 175 grams sturdy bread flour
• 100 + 106 grams water at room temperature
• 1/8 + 1/2 tsp dried immediate yeast
• 5.5 grams salt
• 1/2 tsp additional virgin olive oil

For the tomato sauce

• 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) plum tomatoes, or 1 can (400 grams/14 oz) peeled tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• salt and freshly floor black pepper

To complete the dish

• 250 grams (.55 lb) buffalo mozzarella
• salt
• contemporary basil
• 3 litres of vegetable oil for deep frying (Italians would use refined olive oil, not additional virgin)

Directions

For one of the best taste, begin by making the pre-ferment the evening earlier than. Put together the pizza dough in accordance with my directions. Divide the dough into 4 parts of about 120 grams every, and permit them to proof in particular person bowls, coated with plastic wrap.

Break up the mozzarella along with your arms, place on a clear kitchen towel on a wire rack, and sprinkle flippantly with salt on either side. Cowl with one other kitchen towel, and refrigerate for a number of hours or in a single day. This is a crucial step when utilizing mozzarella for pizza, as a result of it attracts out the liquid and avoids soupy pizza. I had about 160 grams of mozzarella left from the unique 250 grams after this step — all that water would in any other case have come out of the mozzarella when it melted.

To make the tomato sauce from contemporary tomatoes, preheat the broiler, lower the tomatoes into quarters, take away the seeds, and organize the tomatoes, pores and skin aspect down, on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil in a single layer.

Broil the tomatoes on the place closest to the ingredient till barely charred, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Now you can simply separate the tomato flesh from the pores and skin with a tablespoon. Discard the skins.

Place the tomato flesh in a blender…

…and mix till easy.

If utilizing canned peeled tomatoes, you may merely puree the canned tomatoes with the blender. Recent tomatoes are extra work, however will end in a extra vibrant taste.

Warmth two tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan. Peel and slice the garlic, and deep fry the garlic within the olive oil by tilting the pan. Take away the garlic as quickly as it’s golden brown. If you happen to permit it to get too darkish, the sauce will find yourself bitter.

Add the pureed tomatoes to the garlic-infused olive oil and stir. Season with salt and freshly floor black pepper.

Simmer the tomato sauce over medium warmth, stirring frequently, till it’s now not watery. It shouldn’t be too thick, as it is going to thicken some extra within the oven. When the sauce is finished, style and modify the seasoning with salt and freshly floor black pepper.

Fill a wok with 3 litres of vegetable oil and warmth the oil to 180C/350F.

Use oven proof plates for serving. Place 1 / 4 of the tomato sauce within the heart of every plate, and unfold it out right into a circle of 10-15 cm (4-6 inches) with the again of a tablespoon. Organize items of mozzarella on high.

Bake the plates with the tomato sauce and mozzarella within the oven at 200C/400F (fan pressured) till the cheese has melted and is getting barely golden brown, 10 to fifteen minutes.

Whereas the tomato sauce and mozzarella are baking, fry the pizzas. Mud the work floor and your arms with flour. Take a bit of pizza dough out of its bowl and flatten and stretch it along with your arms right into a circle of about 15 cm (6 inches) in diameter. Flatten it gently, as you need to preserve as a lot air in as attainable. It’s not known as “fried air” for nothing!

Fastidiously decrease the pizza dough into the recent oil.

Deep fry the pizza dough, pushing right down to submerge it, and turning it as wanted with a strainer.

Fry just one pizza on the time. It solely takes a few minutes. Attempt to drain the pizza of oil as a lot as attainable if you take it out of the oil, and permit it to chill of and drain on paper towels.

Pat the deep fried pizza with paper towels, then place on high of the ready plates, thus hiding the toppings. Serve without delay.

Wine pairing

That is good with a dry rosé. A Prosecco or different glowing wine would even be nice.