Pizza

A weekly indulgence for us since we have been making homemade pizza for many years and it has become both a staple and something I can do with my virtual hands tied behind my back. It is so simple I really don't know why more people don't do it especially with the price of a delivery unit these days. Mind you there are some tremendous pizzas available for delivery and takeout in our area but you know, mine stack up if I do say so myself.

Some have asked for the pizza dough recipe and I have never had this one fail. Henry now makes this and it is simple enough that even a 10 year old can remember the recipe...

.75 C warm water
1 Tbl yeast
1 - 2 Tbl olive oil
1 C unbleached all purpose flour
1 C hi protein whole wheat flour
2 tsp kosher salt

Water, yeast and olive oil in the food processor for a minute just to start the dissolve process, add the flours and the salt and pulse to start then run to knead for about 2 minutes. Remove to a lightly oiled bowl for about 40 minutes and you're ready to go.

Some of my recent concoctions (one of the real beauties of making pie @ home is you can do anything you want or whatever you have on hand)...

• Goat cheese with hard salami & pepperoncini, no red sauce but a garlic olive oil base
• Barbecued chicken pizza
• Mozzarella, parmesan and asiago w/ hard salami and red bell peppers
• Goat cheese on olive oil & garlic base with Mama Lil's Kick Butt peppers
• Hot italian sausage w/ mushrooms and black olives

I think you probably get the idea. Henry is a bit more of a purist except for the barbecued chicken pie but I stretch what we have with a few tricks like cutting the salami or pepperoni type meats into julienne strips and this not only stretches the meat so I use less and add less fat but also adds more edges for that yummy burnt edge that most of us like.

Another nice thing is I can control what's in or on the pie. No crappy industrial red sauce for us just organic Trader Joe's marinara as usual for the red sauce or some homemade BBQ sauce. I can get local cheeses as well as cured meats. One of the local pizza chains and one I really quite admire for their committment to composting and use of local products runs a great seasonal pie program with local asparagus in season, they use Mama Lil's peppers as an option and they have right now in fact a great pie called the Salumi Primo with locally produced Italian style charcuterie from Salumi Artisan Cured Meats (finocchiona in this case) along with Mama Lil's peppers, roasted fennel and a combination of mozzarella, ricotta and fontina cheeses on an olive oil base. Although this is one of the best pies I have ever had, it doesn't really fit the currentt food budget so why not make it myself for about 25% of the price?

Anyway, no photos this time around cuz I just couldn't wait last night while the pie was steamy and dripping cheese...heaven can't be any better than that...

Hasta