With this recipe, we take a culinary journey to another Mediterranean country: Italy. Pizza - a classic Italian dish loved by everyone. We've given the traditional pizza a unique twist with figs and olives. The sweet figs and savory olives create a wonderful combination, while the homemade tomato sauce with celery and carrots adds not only great flavor but also valuable vitamins. The sauce can also be used for pasta dishes!

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

For the pizza dough:

• 1/2 kg pizza flour
• 300 ml water (adjust based on the flour type)
• 1/2 cube yeast (approx. 20 g)
• 1 tbsp MANI Extra Virgin Olive Oil Selection
• 1 - 2 tsp salt

For the tomato sauce:

• 100 ml MANI Extra Virgin Olive Oil Selection
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 500 ml tomato passata
• 2 tbsp MANI Extra Virgin Olive Oil Selection
• Salt and pepper
• 1 bunch fresh basil

For the topping:

• 4 - 5 figs (half a fig per pizza)
• MANI mixed olives, pitted
• 500 g mozzarella
• 150 g spicy organic salami
• Fresh arugula for garnish

Instructions:

For the pizza dough:

1. Mix half of the flour with all the water and yeast. Sprinkle the remaining flour on top, add salt (ensure it doesn't touch the yeast directly), and let the dough rest for 30 minutes until it doubles in size.
2. Knead the remaining flour and salt into the dough. Let it rest again, then knead it thoroughly once more. The longer the dough rests, the more digestible it will be.
3. Divide the dough into smaller portions, roll them out on a floured surface, and prepare for topping.

For the tomato sauce:

1. Chop the onion, carrot, and celery into small pieces and blend with 100 ml olive oil until creamy.
2. Heat the vegetable puree in a pot with 3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes on low heat.
3. Add the tomato passata, season with salt and pepper, and let it simmer for 1 - 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. At the end, stir in the chopped basil while the sauce is hot but no longer boiling.

Assembling the pizza:

1. Wash and quarter the figs, cut the mozzarella into pieces, and halve the olives if desired.
2. Spread the cooled tomato sauce onto the rolled-out pizza dough, and top with figs, olives, spicy salami, and mozzarella.
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 240°C (464°F) for about 20 minutes until the crust turns lightly golden.
4. Serve the hot pizza and garnish with fresh arugula if desired.

MANI Tip:

You can adjust the toppings to your liking. For a vegetarian version, simply omit the spicy salami. Pair this pizza with a good Italian red wine for a complete experience!