Franco Manca - Masterclass in Reading, Berkshire {restaurant review}

Last June/July time Franco Manca opened up a branch in Reading and I was kindly invited along to an evening of pizza and limoncello drinking! I have been back since and I will say what I said then that the pizza from Franco Manca is one of my favorites. The sourdough base is everything and because the menu changes with the seasons it's toppings are always top notch. 

So, when they asked if I'd like to come along to try out one of their masterclasses I was there! This time around I was allowed to get in the kitchen and make my own pizza! Our instructor aka Master Pizza Maker Andrea was full of knowledge and showed us how the sour dough was made before giving us our own blob to turn into our own masterpiece! 

First you have to press it down gently and firmly with your finger tips, it's sometimes referred to as knocking it back, but this is a small piece so it doesn't need as much pressure or energy if you were making a loaf of bread. 

Then gently folding it over your hand you toss it gently back and forth - this does two things. One it knocks the excess unnecessary flour off and two it stretches the dough out ready to be pizza shaped. 

Once it's, as I said, pizza shaped they have a perfectly sized ladle to pour on the tomato sauce and spread in a circle. Then the fun part. Putting whatever you want on it! I choose lots of cheese, some garlic, olives, and mushrooms. 

Very gently you move it on a paddle which then gets placed into their special wood burning oven that is kept at something ridiculous like 500 degrees - it literally takes minutes. Then using another fun tool you check to make sure the bottom is properly cooked before gently sliding it out and turning it around and putting it back in and giving it another minute to make sure it's perfect and then you place it on your plate and enjoy!! 

I couldn't recommend the pesto more, it's seasonal so varies visit to visit, it's perfect to dip crusts in. It's essential, if you like lemons and liquor, to finish your meal with a shot of their limoncello, which is sourced in Italy and brought to the UK just for them! 

If you would like to experience making your own pizza masterclasses, in Reading, are held on the second Tuesday of every month. Classes are two and half hours and cost £30 including food, wine/soft drinks. Book or find out more: reading@francomanca.co.uk or 0118 995 2086.

Classes are also held at their Chiswick, Richmond, and Bournemouth to find out more of the details for those locations check the Franco Manca website here!  

Before we left they gave us a little goody bag with a bottle of wine, some pizza toppings, and a bottle of chilli oil for if we ever get the courage to try making pizza's at home! The book below was from my first visit and if you want to read that full review with more pictures check it out here! 

*I was invited to attend, but I was not asked to write a review positive or otherwise, no other compensation was given. Please see my contacts/policy page above for more information. 

Franco Manca - Reading, Berkshire {restaurant review}

One of my favorite things about blogging is getting invited to restaurants for openings and reviews! I have been to many over the years some that are just okay and others that are amazing and I have to say that my experience at Franco Manca last week was the latter.

Franco Manca not only has great pizza's, but they have great pizza's at great prices and has a lively atmosphere which is a necessary bonus! We were throughly spoiled with appetisers of various mozzarella balls and meats and before the pizzas came out we were treated to a type of masterclass where we were shown first hand how the pizzas were made!

They make everything on site and use the freshest ingredients. There are only 6 pizzas on the menu and the number 3 changes every so often. They told us that they were planning on adding a 7th pizza soon. So, definitely worth checking out along with their daily specials.

Although the pizza was amazing and the mozzarella and dried/cured meats were delicious I couldn't get enough of the wild garlic pesto; made from wild garlic that the head chefs went and found themselves in Italy it was the best thing of the night! There is a pizza with it dolloped on top and I would suggest if you like pesto to try it!

They didn't leave anything out, we not only talked about wild garlic pesto, but they told us all about how sourdough has natural occurring yeast and therefore is better for your insides. We found out all about how the dough is kneaded and left to rise in wood boxes to help with the moisture before being stretched out and made into pizza! Also how they are cooked in a high temperature oven are baked in something like 58 seconds. 

We also discussed wine and the variety of mozzarella cheese balls! As I said it was a great night filled with great food and great company! If you are visiting the Oracle and in need of food and have a love of pizza at a decent price I would highly recommend Franco Manca!

*I was invited out to visit their press opening event. I was not asked to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. Please see more in my contact/policy page above.

Check out a slideshow of my photos here:

Pizza Night {prize draw promotion}

Nights in are the new black.

A night out can be a lot of fun, but so can a night in especially when you have your friends and family with you!

One of my favorite nights in is Pizza Night with my little family! 

What cartoon characters love pizza? The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 

It is my all time favorite childhood cartoon and I am proud to say my girls love it too! It's a common pizza/movie night combo for us!

We make individual pizzas with all our favorite pizza toppings. Anything goes! 

Well, with in reason I mean we don't go as far as the turtles themselves, see suggestions by them below! 

Then after we're done with dinner we cuddle up with some dessert pizza and enjoy the movie! It's a great way to get the whole family involved and spend time together!

Pizza Dough

makes 4 individual pizzas, half the recipe for 2

400g Sainsbury’s Strong Canadian Bread flour

16g/2 pouches of Sainsbury’s Fast-Action dried yeast

pinch of salt

280ml luke warm water

extra virgin olive oil

In a mixing bowl mix the flour and yeast together, once combined put in the pinch of salt and mix again. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the warm water, plus a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until it comes together as a wet-dough. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured surface, I always start out with a light dusting then add about another two light dustings while kneading. Once it’s smooth and elastic, lightly oil a separate bowl for the dough ball to rest cover with clingfilm and rest for 25 minutes.

While it’s resting lightly oil two baking sheets/trays and heat the oven to 200C.

Once it’s rested gently break it into four separate pieces. Use a sharp floured knife if you want a more even division of the dough. Roughly spread out into a circle or an oval as we did to fit on our trays.

Top with sauce and a choice of your favorite toppings, suggestions listed below, before baking in the oven for 18 minutes or until the edges just start to turn brown. After 10 minutes I switched the pizzas from the top shelf to the bottom shelf to insure even coloring for all the pizzas, but you don’t have to do this. Serve immediately with salad or any sides that you like!

Suggested Pizza Toppings

passata flavored or with added oregano and garlic salt to taste

tomato paste, just a squeeze

cheese, mozzarella is always a favorite

ham/sausage/pepperoni/pineapple/mushrooms/peppers/onion/olives/etc… 

Ninja Turtle Suggested Pizza Toppings:

Pepperoni & Ice Cream
Jelly Bean & Sausage
Anchovie & Peanut Butter
Whipped Cream
Sashimi
Bananas & Sausage
Cereal (Raisin Bran, Cornflakes, Coco Puffs)

Then for dessert we had pizza again! This is inspired by an American treat sometimes called cactus bread. I used mixes for this one to save on time and cost! Start this about 10 minutes before the pizzas are done or just after you've rotate the pizzas if you have done that.

Dessert Pizza

1 pkg (145g) Sainsbury’s pizza base mix

1 pkg (225g) Sainsbury’s crumble mix,

1-2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar (Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference or make your own)

100g icing sugar

1-2 tbsp of milk

Follow the instructions on the back of the pizza base mix package, leave to rise in front of the already heated oven. Once you've eaten your amazing pizzas from above your pizza dough should be risen, poke a few holes in it with a fork before spreading over the cinnamon sugar, then spread over the crumble mix. There will be leftover crumble mix because you don’t need very much to cover the top of this pizza. Bake in the oven according to the packaging. Both the pizza base and crumble mix bake for about the same amount of time.

Before it’s out of the oven make the glaze by mixing the icing sugar with the milk. Once it’s out of the oven while it’s still warm drizzle over the glaze. You might have a little leftover, but that’s okay you can use it as dip for the dessert pizza. Enjoy! 

That is one of my favorite nights in, but I have had many date nights in with my husband and occasionally I'll have a wine night in with my girl friends. So.... 

Prize Draw Closed

notes: In association with Sainsbury’s, all opinions are my own please see my contact/policy page for more information. Ninja Turtle topping suggestions are taken from the first season of the original show. Pizza dough recipe adapted from Gino D'acampo's Italian Home Baking