The team for The Gog give the low-down on seasonal produce to seek out this month
Whilst the nights are long and (hopefully!) warm, and delicious local produce is in abundance, why not bring a little piece of Italy to Cambridge with some alfresco dining? We were delighted to welcome new head chef Jon to The Gog family earlier this year; he brings with him a wealth of experience from his years of training in the Jamie Oliver group, so it’s no surprise to learn that he has a passion for all things Italian, with wood-fired pizzas being one of his specialities.
There’s nothing better than firing up the Big Green Egg BBQ and cooking up some tasty pizzas to share with family and friends. This versatile piece of kit can cook anything from long, slow roasts to tasty veg and even bread! Fear not if you don’t have one – you can use your oven at its hottest temperature.
‘This versatile piece of kit can cook anything’
Jon cooked up a pizza feast using seasonal veg, including summer squash fresh from the fields in Fenstanton, tasty courgettes from Cottenham and rocket salad from Kent. Combine these seasonal beauties with the divine parma ham found in the deli and highest quality chorizo from our butchery, and you’ve got a raft of winning combinations.
When Jon’s not rustling up new culinary delights to add to the menu at The Gog, he can be found with his wife Lucy and baby daughter Evie or, as a Cambridge resident, out on his bicycle – of course!
Sadly, we can’t share his secret recipe, but I assure you this one tastes just as good!
The Gog, Heath Farm, Shelford Bottom, Cambridge CB22 3AD | 01223 248352
HOW TO EAT IT
Dough Ingredients (makes 4 pizza bases)
500g pizza flour/strong white bread flour
1 tsp sea salt
7g dried yeast or fresh soaked in 50ml water
5ml extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
325ml water (room temp)
Homemade pizza sauce
Hand-crushed plum tomatoes, drizzle of olive oil, pinch of sea salt, fresh oregano and grated garlic, dash of red wine vinegar.
Or passata with herbs is a quick trick!
Toppings
Tomato
Cheese
Summer squash, chilli, chorizo
Rocket, parma ham, egg, asparagus
Method
1. Add flour to water and mix well, add salt, mix a small amount, then add yeast mix.
2. Mix well until dough is nicely formed, elastic but not too tight.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and smooth over dough.
4. Cover and allow to prove for 1 hour 30mins in a warm place or until the dough doubles in size.
5. After this, knead the dough to knock the air out, then weigh out 190g of dough and roll into smooth dough balls.
6. Allow to prove/double for an hour to two hours. Then your pizza dough will be ready!
Cooking instructions
1. Generously flour a pizza paddle, or if you don’t have one, a piece of cardboard will do!
2. Roll out the pizza dough into a circle about ten inches in diameter.
3. Dollop on a generous amount of tomato sauce.
4. Add the cheese and toppings of your choice.
5. Ideally cook at 300-350°C for six mins to get the crispiest base, or cook at the highest temperature you can for nine to ten minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the base crispy. Enjoy!
