With their ooey-gooey cheesy middles, pizza pockets are a lot less messy to eat than your regular pizza, but every bit as scrumptious.



INGREDIENTS

For the dough:
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tsp yeast
4 3/4 cups high grade or ‘strong’ flour
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter

For the filling:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 a tin of chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 cups grated tasty cheese
1 1/2 cups diced ham or salami salt and pepper

To finish:
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 tbsp coarse dried breadcrumbs

(Makes 10 pizza pockets)

HOW TO:

Make the dough first. Put the sugar and half the water in a small bowl. Stir well, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside to ‘sponge’ (turn foamy and bubbly).

Put the flour and salt in a large bowl, then stir in the yeast mixture and the remaining water. Mix to form a soft dough, then knead in the butter.

Turn out onto the bench and knead for 5-10 minutes, until the dough is springy. Then return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and set aside for an hour.

While the dough is rising, get the pizza filling ready. Heat the oil in a small pot, then add the garlic and onion, along with a good pinch of salt.

Cook for five minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste and cook for another two minutes, then tip in the tinned tomatoes. Stir well and cook for a further eight minutes, until thick. Set aside to cool.

Heat the oven to 210C, and line two trays with baking paper. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces, and flatten each one until it’s about the size of your hand, in a roughly circular shape.

Put a large tablespoon of the tomato mixture in the centre, then a generous tablespoon of both the ham and cheese on top. Fold the dough up and over the filling, pinching the ends in.

Place the dough parcel on the prepared tray, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining dough and fillings until none is left.

Brush each parcel with a little of the beaten egg, then sprinkle over the breadcrumbs. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown and risen. Cool on a rack. 

Note: These can be frozen and reheated. Wrap in foil when cool and freeze, then reheat in a low oven (or you could even take a frozen one to work and it will have thawed by lunchtime).  

This recipe comes straight from our special one-off publication, frankie food. Pick up a copy via our online store, or through one of our wonderful stockists.