As Promised

As promised, here's a (not very good) photo of the pizza I mentioned last week. It was inspired by a recipe I have for a pizza with Sicilian flavors: Spicy Italian pork sausage, pine nuts, and raisins. I used that recipe as a jumping off point and removed the pine nuts (Hubband isn't a fan) and added onions that I first caramelized in some rendered homemade-bacon fat, upped the amount of raisins, and sprinkled on a hint of red chile flakes. Topped with fresh mozzarella, and chopped scallions after coming out of the oven, it's quickly become one of our favorites for its sweet-spicy-salty flavor. 

I tried something new, born of necessity, for my pizza sauce on this pie. Out of cans of good crushed tomatoes, I searched the pantry and found I did have a small can of stewed tomatoes. I crushed them up and added them, along with juices, to a pot with minced garlic, salt, pepper, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. I added chopped fresh basil and oregano from our garden at the last minute to preserve their flavor. The vinegar was gorgeous in the sauce; it played up the sweetness of the raisins, rounded out the spice of the sausage, and lent a little acidity, along with the tomatoes, to cut through the richness. The fresh herbal flavors of the basil and oregano also helped to enliven the pizza and play off that richness. The sauce turned out so well that when we made the pizza for the second time last week, I went the stewed tomato route again! It makes a slightly chunky, rustic sauce that just works really well for these toppings. 

No real recipe, as this was purely an exercise in eyeballing amounts. I hope you'll try this flavor combination, if you haven't already!

CPK Copycat

Florida is a nice place to live. It's warm, there are always some sort of flowers blooming, there's no state income tax. Of course, there are some downsides to living here as well. The most unfortunate of these downsides is the lack of good pizza and chinese take-out. We do have CPK's around here, but as those of you familiar with 'California Pizza Kitchen' know, they do not deliver, and I don't always feel like going to the mall to get it. Luckily, several years ago my sister gifted me with a pizza stone and peel, and I have made good use of them. 

One of my CPK favorites is a Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese, so that's what we made Wednesday night. I slapped together a whole-wheat dough, and we roasted eggplant, red and yellow bell peppers, mushrooms, and broccoli while I caramelized some onions and made a quick spicy red sauce. This is what we came up with:

Deeeeelicious! I know making our own pizza isn't exactly original, but people really seem to be surprised when we tell them that we do. All I know is that when we make pizza for friends and family, they really seem to love it, and that's what matters. 

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

adapted from Silvana Franco

This crust is filling, so don't be surprised if you eat a piece less than you might normally. I like to roll it out nice and thin, and it gets quite crispy and delicious. I use yellow cornmeal on my pizza peel to keep the dough from sticking as I slide it into the oven. It works much better than just sprinkling flour on the peel, but if flour is all you have, be liberal. If you want to use all-purpose flour, reduce the water to 1/2 cup. 

1 2/3 cup whole-wheat flour, plus extra for sprinkling 

1/2 tsp salt

1 package active dry yeast (1/4 oz)

2 tbsp olive oil

2/3 cup tepid water

Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix just until combined. Make a well in the center and add the water and oil. Gradually work the flour into the liquid to create a soft dough. If it feels sticky, add a little flour. The dough should be pliable and smooth. If it is too dry, add a little water. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, sprinkling with flour as necessary to prevent any sticking. When the dough is smooth and elastic, rub a little oil on it and place back into the large bowl. Cover with a clean towel and place in a warm spot to rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size. Remove dough to a lightly floured surface, knead for a minute, then roll out into a thin approximation of a circle. 

(If you have a big kitchen mixer, you can do all of the mixing and kneading with the dough hook attachment. Huzzah!) 

Sprinkle cornmeal or flour on the pizza peel and place the rolled-out dough on top. Thinly spread sauce or garlic oil on, then add your favorite toppings and cheese. Slide the pizza off the peel, onto a stone in a preheated 425 degree oven (be sure to place the pizza stone in when the oven is cold and let it gradually heat!) for 17-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and crust is crisp. 

Hubband and I also love barbecue chicken pizza with red onions and cheddar, or Thai chicken pizza with mozzarella, peanut sauce and bean sprouts. Sometimes we put on onions and wilted greens, and halfway through the cooking we crack a few eggs onto the pizza for breakfast-style. What are your favorite combinations?