Pizza Break

Arugula Salad White Pizza

To avoid the January doldrums, last week we varied our menu a bit and decided to make our own pizza. While many of you probably eat pizza often, pizza is not on our usual menu list, so this was a welcome break. I was inspired by Country Living's Everything Guide to Pizza. We like a thinner, yeasty tasting dough and this recipe fit the bill. It's a perfect dough to make when you're home for the afternoon, so you can monitor the dough's rising.

 Homemade Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup(s) warm water, for yeast mixture
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup(s) warm water, plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) cider vinegar
• 2 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup(s) whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
• Cornmeal, for dusting

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup warm water, sugar, and yeast. In a glass, mix 3/4 cup warm water, olive oil, and cider vinegar.
2. In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, and salt. Create a well and add liquids from Step 1.
3. Using a wooden spoon, stir, bringing in flour from the edges, until a soft, shaggy dough forms. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water, if needed.
4. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough — using the heel of your hand, stretch dough away from your body, then fold it back onto itself — until supple, about 10 minutes. (P.S. I was impatient and only kneaded for 5 minutes and it turned out great!)
5. Form dough into a ball, lightly oil, and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let dough rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
6. Using a knife, divide dough in half. Pat 1 half into a disc. Using a rolling pin, flatten disc into a 1/4-inch-thick 12-inch circle. Repeat or refrigerate remaining dough up to 1 day.
7. Transfer dough to a pizza peel or cookie tray that's been liberally sprinkled with cornmeal (to prevent the dough from sticking).
8. Top dough with a thin layer of sauce, cheese, and desired toppings.
9. Slide pizza onto a preheated pizza stone or the cookie tray on to the lowest shelf of the preheated oven. Bake until crust is golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

Here are the photos for the making of the dough- they do help.

I used my homemade pasta sauce that I had on hand, but this recipe sounds delish, especially if you use fresh tomatoes from your garden in the fall.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pound(s) plum tomatoes, quartered
• 1  yellow onion, diced
• 1  green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1  red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup(s) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup(s) chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoon(s) fresh oregano

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a 9- by 13-inch baking pan, toss together tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, oil, salt, and crushed red pepper. Roast for 1 hour. Remove pan from oven and fold basil and oregano into vegetables. Cook for 30 minutes more.
2. In a food processor, blend vegetables until pureed. Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or freeze.

 Sausage Mushroom Pizza

Potato Pesto Pizza

We made the Sausage Mushroom and Arugula Salad pizzas- yum! Doesn't the Potato Pesto pizza sound good? I might try combining potato and buttermilk blue cheese instead. Here are a few other combo ideas:

Shredded rotisserie chicken tossed with barbecue sauce
Radicchio drizzled with honey 

Anchovy paste and sliced green olives
Fig jam, prosciutto, and Taleggio
Caramelized onions with avocado and chorizo

Crispy fried calamari and jalapeño rings
Ricotta with sliced peaches and plums
Sautéed celery with blue cheese
Roasted cauliflower and capers

What are your favorite pizzas?

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