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Wednesday, 31 July 2013

Perfect Pizza Recipe - easy, homemade, tasty pizzas!

Hello food.....
Selection of Pizzas and Potato Wedges


I've been pretty obsessed with making pizza recently. Ever since my Jess's Messes pizza making party I just can't get enough of it. It's so easy to make some lovely light pizza dough and then it's just a case of making a tasty tomato base and choosing your toppings.

So, here is a recipe for the dough and the tomato base and a few topping suggestions!

Pizza Dough
What do I need?
  • 300g Plain Flour
  • 1 sachet (7g) of yeast
  • Pinch of salt
  • 10ml Olive oil
  • 200g Warm water
What do I do?
  1. Place the flour, yeast and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add oil and half the water.
  2. Combine using your hand and gradually add the rest of the water until you have a soft, not too sticky dough, you may not need all the water!
  3. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until the dough is springy and shiny.
  4. Place in a bowl, cover, leave to rise for an hour.
Tomato Base
What do I need?
  • 200g passata
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Handful of fresh basil and oregano
  • Salt and pepper
What do I do?
  1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and combine.
The pizza making
  1. Roll out the dough until reallllllllllly lovely and thin and cover with a thin layer of tomato base.
  2. Add toppings and mozzarella cheese and bake in oven for 10-15 mins at 200 degrees C.
  3. Eat and enjoy.
Toppings suggestions:
  • Cherry tomato and basil
  • Chorizo, red pepper and red onion
  • Hoisin sauce (instead of tomato base), pork belly, spring onion and coriander
  • Goats cheese, caramelised red onion, rock salt
  • No tomato base - garlic butter and parsley

Pizza and Garlic Bread

Monday, 8 July 2013

Interesting and Exciting Buffet Ideas

Hello food.....
Jess's Messes Fabulous Feast

I was asked to create a Jess's Messes buffet for my mum's 60th birthday party (whoops probably shouldn't mention age there), and I was thinking of ideas, googled for some interesting suggestions and everything was so standard and boring. So, I would like to share the ideas I came up with for other people looking for exciting ideas in the future.

I will of course do my best to upload the recipes in the next few week, but here are just the images to get your tastebuds tingling. :)

Fresh Spinach and Cheddar Ravioli with Salsa Verde
Mini Fish and Chips with Minted Pea Spheres


Mushroom Risotto in Parmesan Cones

Jerk Chicken, Sweet Potato and Coriander Fritters with Mango Salsa

Roast Pork with Apple Sauce and Crackling
Pitta with Falafel and Tomato Salsa


Cripsy Bacon Sandwiches with Homemade Ketchup
White Bread and Sun-dried Tomato Bread Rolls


Vietnamese Salad
Pretty Colours Salad


Potato Salad

Tomato and Basil Fritatta

Mini Beef Wellington and Red Wine Jus

Baby Scallops with Pear Puree and Crispy Bacon Bits



Mini Cheesecakes
Brandy Snaps filled with Passion Fruit Cream


Lemon and Basil Panacotta
Mini Meringues