Iberico pork pizza with flavours of patatas bravas

Inspired by Spain’s most iconic tapas, this homemade pizza layers Iberico pork with a spicy, bravas-style sauce for a deeply savoury, irresistible bite.

Homemade pizzas are just the best, aren’t they? Set aside a leisurely day at the weekend and you can make a big batch of the dough, ready to be frozen or baked later that day.

The rest of your time can then be spent perfecting my bravas-inspired tomato and garlic sauce, which is so good you’ll want to bottle it.

The flavours pair beautifully with thin slices of Iberico pork, which is comparable to wagyu beef in flavour and tenderness. Make this pizza for a special occasion and you’re guaranteed to impress your dinner guests.

How To Make Iberico Pork Pizza With Flavours of Patatas Bravas

• Chef Catling’s recipe notes
• Recipe: Iberico pork pizza with flavours of patatas bravas
• Frequently asked questions

Tips & Notes To Know

• Look for bread flour or 00 flour: They give better chew and structure. Standard plain flour works, but won’t be as stretchy.
• Pull, don’t roll: Gently stretch the dough with your hands, rather than using a rolling pin, to preserve air bubbles for a light, chewy crust. Don’t worry if it’s not a perfect circle — rustic is good.
• Less is more: Avoid adding too many toppings to the base, otherwise it will get weighed down and go soggy.
• No pizza stone? Use an upside-down baking sheet and whack the oven up to at least 220C to to mimic the high heat of traditional pizza ovens.

Iberico pork pizza with flavours of patatas bravas

Serves: 4 Prep time: 30 mins, plus 2 hours resting time Cook time: 35 mins 35 mins

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Ingredients

For the pizza base
7g dried yeast
325ml lukewarm water
250g wholemeal bread flour
250g plain bread flour
1 tsp smoked salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for shaping, plus extra for drizzling
Semolina, for sprinkling

For the bravas sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sugar
Small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

For the toppings
200g lighter mozzarella cheese, torn into small chunks
1/2 x 280g jar chargrilled mixed peppers, sliced
16 mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
1 courgette, thinly sliced into rings
1/2 tbsp olive oil
400g Iberico pork medallions

To serve
1 tbsp pine nuts
Small handful of rocket leaves, to garnish

Instructions

Step 1
To activate the yeast, pour into a glass with the lukewarm water and leave to stand for 5 minutes (you’ll know it’s ready when little bits of the yeast rise to the top and air bubbles have appeared on the surface).

Step 2
Tip the flours, salt and sugar into a stand mixer with a dough hook attached and mix well. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast liquid. Turn on the motor and knead for 6-8 minutes or until the dough is shiny and springy to the touch.

Step 3
Tip the dough out onto a lightly-floured work surface and cut into four, equal-sized balls. Knead each piece for 2 minutes, then roll into balls and place on a lightly-floured baking tray. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours or until doubled in size.

Step 4
To make the bravas sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion gently for 5 minutes until starting to soften, but not coloured. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Step 5
Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and sugar and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until thickened. Season to taste and stir through the chopped parsley. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Step 6
When ready to make the pizza bases, place your pizza peel or baking tray(s) in the oven at 220C to heat up. Knock the dough back, then lightly oil your hands and stretch each ball of dough into a circle (the bigger the size, the thinner your base will be). Alternatively, use a rolling pin if you find it easier.

Step 7
Evenly spread the bravas sauce over each base, leaving a small border at the sides. Top each pizza with 50g mozzarella equally, followed by 4 cherry tomatoes and a small handful of peppers and courgette rings.

Step 8
Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and lightly season the Iberico pork. Sear the medallions, in batches, for 1 minute on each side or until golden brown. Remove from the heat and divide between each pizza base.

Step 9
Remove the pizza peel or baking sheet(s) from the oven and lightly sprinkle each one with semolina. Gently slide each pizza on top (you may need to do this in batches) and cook for 8-10 minutes until the bottom is crisp, the pork is cooked through, and the cheese is bubbling.

Step 10
Drizzle each pizza with extra-virgin olive oil and top with a sprinkling of pine nuts and a few rocket leaves before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Iberico Pork?

Iberico pork comes from the Iberian black pig, a breed native to Portugal and areas of southern and central Spain. These pigs are often free-range and feast on a diet of acorns, which results in deeply marbled and nutty meat. It’s often likened to Wagyu beef because of its tenderness and rich flavour profile

What’s The Difference Between Plum And Canned Chopped Tomatoes?

Canned tomatoes are picked at their ripest and retain more texture than passata because they are less processed. Canned cherry tomatoes are highly prized because of their wonderfully sweet flavour, while whole peeled ‘plum’ tomatoes are generally favoured over chopped tomatoes because they are the most versatile and fuller in flavour.

It is true that you get what you pay for, so try and seek out the best quality tomatoes to produce a richer and more flavourful sauce.

How Do You Stop Your Pizza Base From Sticking?

If you’re not using a pizza stone, a non-stick pizza peel or baking sheet, lightly rubbed with olive oil, is a must. Sprinkling it with semolina also creates a gritty, non-stick base and adds a slight crunch to the bottom of the pizza.