Jamón ibérico, pickled piel de sapo melon & stone-baked bread

Serves 4

• Ingredients

  –  200 g jamón ibérico, thinly sliced

  –  1 piel de sapo melon (or honeydew if unavailable)

  –  125 ml white balsamic vinegar

  –  2 store-bought pizza dough balls (approx. 250 g each)

  –  1 small bunch fresh oregano

  –  Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

  –  Flaky sea salt

• Method

  Stone-baked bread

  1.    Place a heavy baking tray or pizza stone on the top rack of your oven and preheat to as high as it will go — ideally 250°C. Allow at least 30 minutes for the tray to get fully hot.

  2.   Stretch each dough ball out by hand into a rough flatbread shape, about 5 mm thick. Don’t worry about neat edges.

  3.   Carefully slide the flatbreads directly onto the hot tray. Bake for 6–8 minutes until puffed, charred in spots, and cooked through. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of flaky salt as they come out.

  Pickled piel de sapo melon

  4.   Peel the melon, remove the seeds and cut into long wedges or rough chunks.

  5.   Place the melon in a zip-lock bag or snug bowl and pour over the white balsamic vinegar. Seal the bag pressing out as much air as possible, or cover the bowl tightly with cling film.

  6.   Leave to pickle for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, or up to an hour in the fridge. The vinegar will soften the flesh slightly and add a sharp, clean flavour.

  To serve

  7.    Arrange the warm flatbreads on a round plate. Lay the jamón ibérico alongside the bread, then drape the pickled melon wedges over the jamón and scatter with fresh oregano leaves. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of flaky salt.