Meal Occasion: All day

Mushroom Shawarma

  • 400g Swiss brown mushrooms, thickly sliced
  • 1 packet Costa Blush mini caps, halved lengthways
  • 4tbsp Shawarma marinade paste or 4tbsp dry mix spices plus 2tbsp olive oil
  • 4 to 6 flat breads
  • 100g red onion pickles
  • 100g pickled carrots
  • 200g tzatziki
  • 6 baby cucumbers, sliced lengthways
  • Small handful of chopped parsley

Method

Preheat oven 220c

In a large bowl add the shawarma marinade or the spices with olive oil and coat the mushrooms and mini capsicums completely – leave to marinade for 1hr.

Thread the mushrooms and capsicums onto skewers and place onto a lined baking tray and spray with olive oil, place into the oven and char for 8min turning halfway, turn oven down to 180c and cook for a further 8min until cooked your liking. Heat flat breads and serve with tzatziki, pickles and baby cucumbers and garnish with coriander.

Serve and enjoy warm

Mushroom & Haloumi Salad

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 large lemon, juiced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 tsp dried Greek oregano
  • 1 small red chilli, finely chopped
  • 400g haloumi, drained, sliced (see tip)
  • 375g cup mushrooms, thickly sliced
  • 2/3 cup semi-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 100g baby spinach leaves
  • Extra virgin olive oil & crusty bread barbecued, to serve
  1. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, chilli and salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Use a little of the marinade to brush over both sides of the haloumi.
  2. Add the mushrooms to the remaining marinade and stir to coat all the mushrooms. Cover and refrigerate both the mushrooms and haloumi for 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat a greased barbecue plate on medium-high. Barbecue the mushrooms for 5 minutes, turning occasionally until just tender. Remove to a large bowl.
  4. Barbecue the haloumi for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden and warmed through. Add to the warm mushrooms.
  5. Add the tomatoes and spinach to the mushrooms and cheese, toss gently to combine.
  6. Arrange on serving plates, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and serve with barbecued bread.

Theo’s Zesty Lemon Cream & Mushroom Pizza

For the White Wine Lemon Cream Sauce:

  • 15g butter (divided)
  • 1.5 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ small shallot, finely chopped
  • 120ml white wine
  • 60ml white wine vinegar
  • 440ml heavy cream
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 2.5g salt
  • For the Mushrooms:
  • 2 large brown mushrooms, sliced (about 1cm thick)
  • Olive oil
  • Small knob of butter
  • Sprig of thyme
  • For the Potatoes:
  • 1–2 small potatoes, very thinly sliced (use a mandolin if possible)
  • Bowl of cold water
  • For the Pizza:
  • Pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
  • Mozzarella cheese, shredded or torn
  • Olive oil

1. Make the Lemon Cream Sauce

  1. In a heavy-based pot, melt 5g of the butter over medium heat.
  2. Add garlic and shallot and cook until softened (not browned).
  3. Pour in the white wine. Increase the heat and simmer until reduced by half.
  4. Add white wine vinegar and reduce again by half.
  5. Stir in the cream, lemon zest and salt. Let it gently simmer until it thickens slightly.
  6. Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining 10g of butter until glossy and smooth.
  7. (Optional: Strain into a piping bag or container for easier application.)

2. Prepare the Mushrooms

  1. Heat a splash of olive oil and a knob of butter in a large, hot pan.
  2. Add mushroom slices and cook for a few minutes until golden and softened.
  3. Add a sprig of thyme during cooking for extra flavour.
  4. Remove mushrooms from the pan and drain on paper towel to remove excess moisture.

3. Prep the Potatoes

  1. Thinly slice potatoes into a bowl of cold water to prevent browning and help them crisp up when baked.
  2. Pat dry before using on pizza.

4. Assemble the Pizza

  1. Preheat your oven (or pizza oven) as hot as it will go – ideally 250°C or higher.
  2. Stretch out your pizza dough on a floured surface or tray.
  3. Spread a generous layer of lemon cream sauce over the base.
  4. Top with sautéed mushrooms and drained potato slices.
  5. Add mozzarella on top.
  6. Drizzle a little olive oil around the crust.
  7. Bake until the base is golden and crisp, and the toppings are bubbling and golden – around 7–12 minutes depending on your oven.

Enjoy your mushroom and potato pizza with a zesty lemon twist!

Ultimate Umami Mushroom Pizza

  • 4 brown mushrooms (3 for reduction, 1 for topping)
  • 1 brown onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Reserved mushroom stock or water
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • Fresh mozzarella ball
  • Low-moisture mozzarella
  • Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
  • Ricotta
  • Olive oil
  • Pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
  • Chilli oil, for finishing

1. Make the Mushroom Reduction

  1. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat with a knob of butter and a splash of olive oil.
  2. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté until softened.
  3. Add 3 of the brown mushrooms, roughly chopped.
  4. Cook slowly for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the mushrooms to release and cook out their liquid.
  5. Once dry, cool slightly.
  6. Add the reserved mushroom stock or water, and continue cooking down until the mixture is thick and the mushrooms are nearly falling apart.
  7. Remove from heat and blend using a stick blender or standard blender until smooth.

Set aside to cool, either in a piping bag or covered bowl.

2. Assemble the Pizza

  1. Preheat your oven as hot as it will go (ideally 250°C or higher).
  2. Stretch your pizza dough to the desired shape.
  3. Drizzle olive oil over the base.
  4. Spread a generous layer of the mushroom reduction across the dough.
  5. Sprinkle over plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano.
  6. Top with thinly sliced raw mushroom (from the remaining mushroom), fresh mozzarella, and low-moisture mozzarella.
  7. Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and caramelised.
  8. Finish with extra Parmigiano Reggiano, dollops of whipped ricotta, and a drizzle of chilli oil.

Savour every bite of this deeply savoury, cheesy mushroom pizza — it’s comfort food with serious flavour credentials.

Theo’s Herb & Ricotta Giant Stuffed Mushrooms

  • 2 large brown mushrooms
  • ½ brown onion, very finely diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Fresh parsley (plus extra for garnish)
  • Fresh basil
  • Ricotta
  • Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
  • Mozzarella, shredded
  • Butter
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Rich, herby and irresistibly cheesy—these stuffed mushrooms are an easy yet impressive dish perfect for entertaining or midweek indulgence.

Make the Filling

  1. Preheat your oven to 220°C (or as hot as it will go).
  2. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and finely dice them.
  3. In a pan over medium-high heat, melt a knob of butter with a splash of olive oil.
  4. Add the onion, garlic, and chopped mushroom stems. Sauté for 6–8 minutes until softened and fragrant.
  5. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool slightly.
  6. Add a handful of mozzarella, a generous spoon of ricotta, and a good grating of Parmigiano Reggiano.
  7. Finely chop the parsley and basil (about half a handful total) and mix through. Season with salt and pepper.

Stuff and Bake the Mushrooms

  1. Place the mushroom caps on a lined tray and spoon the mixture into each one generously.
  2. Grate more Parmigiano Reggiano on top.
  3. Bake for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and the tops are golden.
  4. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve warm.

Theo Loizou’s Father’s Day Breakfast Pizza

  • 2 white or brown mushrooms, very thinly sliced
  • 1 pork & fennel sausage (casing removed, broken into small pieces)
  • 1 can peeled whole tomatoes
  • 1 garlic clove (½ for sauce, ½ optional for base)
  • 1 egg
  • Fresh mozzarella
  • Low-moisture mozzarella
  • Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
  • Olive oil
  • Fresh basil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Pizza dough (store-bought or homemade) see recipe and ingredients below

Method:

Make the Tomato Sauce

  1. In a bowl or stick blender cup, add the canned tomatoes, ½ grated garlic clove, 1 tbsp olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Blend very briefly—just enough to break the tomatoes up but still keep some texture.

Assemble the Pizza

  1. Preheat your oven (or pizza oven) to its highest temperature.
  2. Stretch out your pizza dough to your desired size.
  3. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the base.
  4. Top with Parmigiano Reggiano, sliced mushrooms, crumbled sausage, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella and low-moisture mozzarella.

Bake and Add the Egg

  1. Place the pizza in the oven to bake.
  2. About halfway through the bake, remove the pizza and carefully crack the egg into the centre.
  3. Return the pizza to the oven and bake until the egg white is set and the yolk is still slightly runny (or cooked to your liking).

Finish and Serve

  1. Remove from the oven and season the egg with salt and pepper.
  2. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

Theo Loizou’s Pizza Dough
Ingredients 

400g Tipo 00 flour 

75g bread flour

25g Wholegrain flour

100g active sourdough starter 

12g salt

5g olive oil 

290g water plus 60g water for when salt is added 

 
Method

  1. In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer add water then starter and mix with a wooden spoon until broken up
  2. Add flours and mix on low speed until combined well – about 4mins 
  3. Let dough rest for 30mins then add salt and half the remaining water and mix on medium speed for 4mins 
  4. After 4mins the dough should be smooth, check the temp with a probe you don’t want the dough to reach higher than 28° – aim for between 25° and 28°C (this will depend on your environment, if it’s very hot where you are you will need to start the mix with cold water and vice versa if you are in a cold climate 
  5. Next with the machine running add the olive oil and if the dough needs more water add the remaining water (this is done by eye and feel, the more you do it the easier it will become to know what hydration is right for you)
  6. Mix for a further 4mins then remove from the mixing bowl and place in a lightly oiled container or bowl to bulk ferment for around 2hrs (again this is determined by your environment)
  7. After the bulk fermentation dump the dough on a bench and divide into equals portions or 280g balls 
  8. Shape into a tight ball and place in a flat container with a cover to proof. 
  9. You can at this stage place them in the fridge and use them the the next day or let them proof at room temperature and bake the same day – the balls should increase by 1/3 or so before baking 

Note – if you don’t have a mixer you can mix the ingredients by hand and halfway through the bulk fermentation stage give the dough a set of folds (take the dough and pick up one side of it and fold it over to the other side and keep doing this until the dough cannot take any more tension) or you can perform a set of coil folds (take one third of the dough and stretch it up as far as it will allow then fold it under the rest of the dough, do that 2 more times)