Rainy Pizza Day

Pizza. Yum. What is better? We are defiantly a pizza family. Pizza snobs even! Sometimes we have to ban ourselves from it because we tend to over indulge. If I am going to eat pizza it has to be good pizza. No dominos or pizza hut for me. A couple years ago I began experimenting at home with pizza making. There was a lot of trial and error involved. I think the two most important factors in making a great pizza is first and foremost...the crust! And second the sauce. I like traditional pizza, ie. red sauce, cheese and some kind of meat. But I also LOVE non-traditional pizza. The possibilities are endless!! One of my favorites happens to be a fig jam, pancetta, goat cheese and arugula pizza. My favorite pizza joint down the road serves that one and I have perfected it at home. It is delicious!!

For tonight's experiments I tried a new sauce and dough recipe. It all started this morning when my husband and I were watching the new Cooking TV channel. Tyler Florence was on. I really like him! On the show he traveled to Naples, Italy (the birthplace of pizza) and a cute Italian lady showed him the Italian way of making pizza. My husband and I are of course drooling so we decide, what's better to do on this rainy summer day than make pizza!!! I planned on making 3 different pizzas. A cheese for the kids. A cheese with italian sausage and a caramelized onion and goat cheese pizza for us! They really turned out great. This crust and sauce recipe were by far my most favorite I have tried. I have my baking technique down it was just that I was never completely happy with my crust and sauce.....until now!

Methods:

Start by making your pizza dough. I used Tyler Florence's pizza dough recipe. It is very easy if you have a kitchen aid stand mixer with a dough hook. Here is the link to his dough:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/pizza-dough-recipe/index.html

He calls for 00 flour. This is an Italian pizza flour. In Italy they grade their flour differently than we do in the U.S. It is basically a very fine, soft flour. I used regular, unbleached all purpose flour. But I really would love to try the 00 flour next time! I also doubled this recipe. I gave some to the kids so they could play with it and make their own pizzas.

Place your oven rack on the lowest possible position. Place a pizza stone on the rack and pre-heat your oven to 500 degrees.

While you are waiting for your dough to rise and your oven to preheat make and get ready your toppings.

Toppings for cheese pizza:

red sauce

fresh mozzarella, cubed

drizzle of olive oil

Toppings for sausage pizza:

red sauce

fresh mozzarella, cubed

fresh italian sausage, removed from casing and torn into bits.

drizzle of olive oil

Toppings for Caramelized onion and goat cheese pizza:

drizzle of olive oil

carmelized onions with rosemary

fresh goat cheese, crumbled

fresh mozerella, cubed

diced pancetta. You can buy pancetta already diced (Trader Joes). Place on a paper towel lined plate and cook in microwave for about 1 minute or until cooked through.

Caramelized Onions with Rosemary

One yellow onion, sliced

one sprig of rosemary (strip leaves from stem.)

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 lemon

Slice onions. Place a saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, onions and rosemary to pan. Cook onions down until slightly brown about 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and squeeze half a lemon over onions. Stir. Set aside until ready to use.

So I have tried A LOT of pizza sauce recipes. I have tried store bought and making my own. I have never absolutely loved one until tonight! The flavor is awesome and it is so easy!! It is also a Tyler Florence recipie.

Red Sauce Pizza Topping

1/4 c. extra- virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bunch fresh basil leaves, torn

2 (28 oz.) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand crushed, preferably Italian tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste.

Add olive oil to a heavy saute pan. Heat oil then add onions and garlic. Cook until softened about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and basil. Cook sauce until reduced down and thick about 10-20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside until ready to use.

When your dough has doubled in volume punch down and remove from bowl. Spread onto a well floured board and shape into a circle. I do this by pressing the dough with my fingers, pushing out and then stretching over my fists, working it around. You can also use a rolling pin. When you have your dough to your desired thickness (I like mine thin) place on a well floured pizza peel. Drizzle with olive oil and slide onto pizza stone for about 3-5 minutes. I like to pre bake the crust before I put on the toppings just to make sure I get an extra crisp crust. Remove from oven with peel and assemble toppings. Place pizza back in oven for about 5-10 min. Make sure you keep and eye on your pizza. Baking time really depends on the hotness of your oven.

Cheese, red sauce and fresh mozzarella.

Yummy Cheese Pizza!!!

Fresh mozzarella, fresh italian sausage and red sauce.

Fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, pancetta and caramelized onions with rosemary.