Roman Pizza

1) Position one oven rack in the center and the second rack on the bottom of the oven and preheat to 220°C/gas mark 8. Roll out each piece of pizza dough into a 27 x 17cm rectangle. Transfer to separate large baking sheets.

2) Spoon the marinara sauce over the pizzas, dividing equally and leaving a 2cm border around each pizza. Sprinkle the mozzarella and fontina cheeses over the pizzas, dividing equally. Sprinkle the mushrooms and pancetta over the cheese.

3) Bake the pizzas until the crusts are crisp and brown on the bottom and the cheese is melted on top, about 15 minutes. Cut the pizzas crosswise into rectangular slices and serve immediately.

For the pizza dough:

1) Mix the warm water and yeast in a small bowl to blend. Let stand until the yeast dissolves, about five minutes.

2) Mix the plain flour and salt in a food processor to blend. Blend in the oil. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture and blend just until the dough forms. Turn the dough out onto lightly plain floured surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and turn the dough to coat with the oil.

3) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm draft-free area until the dough doubles in volume, about one hour. Punch the down dough and form into ball. The dough can be used immediately or stored airtight in the refrigerator for one day.

Yield: 1 (500g) ball of pizza dough
Prep time: 10 minutes
Inactive preptime: 1 hour