Cook book challenge 1

Hmm, I thought  I had done my first post about this, then I checked my drafts and there was one still sat there! Anyway, I will share that one with you next week, but I wanted to share this first as I just can't get enough of it!

I was flicking through Nigella's Kitchen book about a month ago, looking for some inspiration as hubby and I were getting sick of eating the same thing over and over again. I came across, this, the Crustless Pizza and thought it sounded quick and easy and looked yummy. Now, don't be fooled, if you use Nigella's recipe for this then don't ever expect it to look like the one in the picture. God only knows how she made it look like that. I've made it five times now and not once has it turned out like the one in the picture!

I fancied our crustless pizza to be a bit more cheesy and a bit more substantial, so I have included my own changes below in italics, but if you want Nigella's orginal then see her Kitchen book for the recipe. I added lots of mozzarella to the top of the pizza and added ham, mushroom and sliced cherry tomatoes as toppings. I served it with chips and a salad and I have to say it was yummy! It was very moreish and definitely filling. I would have liked some for my lunch the day after, but we are greedy guts and it all went! Now this is by no means healthy, what with the large quantities of cheese (and of course the side of chips!) but it is yummy and it is very comforting after a long, hard day at work.

So here it is, as I said above, my own additions or amendments are in italics.

Ingredients: 

1 egg
100g plain flour
250 ml full fat milk (I used whatever we had in the fridge, which turned out to be semi-skimmed milk)
100g grated cheddar cheese (I used 150g!)
Pinch of salt
Butter, to grease your baking tin

Optional extras:

3/4 of a mozzarella ball, sliced
Handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced
Handful of ham, torn into large pieces 
Handful of mushrooms, sliced

Nigella says you could also add chorizo, but you could also add salami or pepperoni or whatever you like on your pizza!

Method

Pre-heat oven to 200c. Beat the egg, milk, flour and salt together until smooth. Add half of the grated cheddar and stir.
Grease your baking dish. Now Nigella is fairly specific about what sort to use and what diameter etc. I can't say I always pay that much attention to things like that, so I found a silicone baking dish (which happened to be pink!) and I used that. The only thing I would say is that being silicone, it was a little flimsy getting a liquid into the oven in it! However, I did it and I think it worked well. Anyway, Nigella says use a 8 inch round baking dish or similar. The comments on her website say a tin one, but like I say I used silicone.

Pour the mixture into the dish and put in the oven for 30 minutes. This is where I disagree with Nigella, and that could be to do with the dish I use. But it takes about 35 minutes. However I would keep checking as it can quickly brown. When cooked, take it out and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, add the mozzarella slices and whatever toppings you are using and then add back to the oven for another 5-10 minutes, again keep checking as your toppings can catch if you don't keep checking.

It turns out a bit odd if I am honest. Don't get me wrong, it's fabulous and very delicious, but it's like a cross between a massive Yorkshire pudding and an omelette. Granted, I know, that does not sound all that amazing, but please be assured it is! I was actually very surprised. It's cheesy and very, very tasty.

Please let me know if you make it and what you add to it, I am keen to see other people's variations.

This is only half of it, as hubby had the other half!