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Would You Rather Eat Thin or Thick Crust Pizza?

partysugar — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 01:30:28 -0700

What's Your Favorite Type of Pizza Crust?

YumSugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 08:15:39 -0800

52 Weeks of Baking: Four Cheese Pizza with Cornmeal Crust

YumSugar — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 11:58:49 -0800

Last week I ended up grabbing a quick slice of pizza at a small hole-in-the-wall joint. Although the pizza wasn't fantastic, it stood out because the crust was coated in cornmeal. Ever since then, I have been craving a cornmeal crust pizza and decided to go ahead and make my own. Since the last few weeks have been pretty sweets heavy, I figured this savory treat would make for a nice change of pace. To see step-by-step pictures and a recipe for a super tasty cornmeal dough pizza, read more

I like my pizza's plain with just sauce and cheese. I find that vegetables release too much liquid and meat (although I do love meat) just doesn't taste as nice as simple pizza. However, since the crust was a bit thicker on this pie, I served it with roasted tomatoes and basil tossed with a little bit of olive oil and salt - sort of a topping that goes on once the pizza has been fully cooked.

Four Cheese Pizza with Cornmeal Crust
From The Little Guides Pizza

1/2 cup (75g) yellow cornmeal (or polenta)
1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (125ml) water
2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup tomato sauce of your choice
6-8 oz of shredded cheese

Place a pizza stone, unglazed terra-cotta tile (you can get these at a hardware store, make sure it's clean and something you'd want to eat off of), or baking sheet in the oven. Preheat to 450F/220C.
Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
Make a well in the center.
Add water and 2 tbsp olive oil.
Combine by gradually incorporating the flour into the yeast mixture, adding a little extra water if necessary. Note: I used a mixer with the paddle attachment, however it is easy to blend by hand.
Transfer dough to a floured board and knead until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Note: I used the dough hook attachment on my mixer at speed 2 for 4 minutes.
Sprinkle cornmeal down on a surface and press out the pizza dough using your fingertips. I made a 9-10" circle, but you can stretch it out to 12" if desired. Just be sure to press from inside of the dough to the outside.
Remove heated stone/tile/sheet from oven and place pizza dough on top. Be careful it's going to be really hot!
Spoon on the tomato sauce.
Sprinkle the cheese on top. I used mozarella combined with what we had in the house, a smooth goat gouda, a hard sheep gouda, and parmesan. Next time instead of shredding it all, I would probably use some larger slices as well.
Return stone and pizza to oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until pizza is golden on the edges and crisp underneath.
Notes: Our pizza came out fantastic, I was really thrilled with it. It could have been a tiny bit better if we did two things. 1- bake the crust without any ingredients for a few minutes first (the cheese was a bit "done" by the time the crust was ready) 2- use more cheese!

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Yummy Links: From Pizza Crusts to Tap Water

YumSugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:58:31 -0800

Discover what the top 10 crazy Asian pizza crusts are. - Slice
Learn more about Isaac Mizrahi's favorite cookbooks and kitchen techniques. - 101 Cookbooks
Check out this season's best cake recipes. - iVillage
In addition to being tasty, yogurt is also good for your mouth. - FitSugar
Learn how to make recipe-free Asian broiled tofu. - Chow
These macarons from Paulette look absolute divine. - Hostess with the Mostess
Submit your favorite Easter recipe and win beautiful art for your walls. - Create My Event
Disgusting! A Milwaukee chef is being charged for putting hair (including pubic) in steaks. - Consumerist
In better news, Los Angeles and British Columbia tied for the title of world's best tap water. - Slashfood

Fast & Easy Dinner: Mixed Mushroom Pizza

partysugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:00:21 -0700

Pizza is my ultimate comfort food. I can't get enough crispy crust and melted cheese. I also enjoy making pizza at home. With the help of a store-bought dough, it can be quick and uncomplicated to throw together.

This recipe is for mushroom lovers. It tops the dough with caramelized onions and tons of sauteed mushrooms. To start your weekend by chowing down on this pizza, check out the recipe and read more.

Mixed Mushroom Pizza
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1 store-bought pizza dough
8 ounces Fontina Valle d'Aosta, fontina, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 large sweet onions (such as Vidalia or Walla Walla), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups assorted sliced mushrooms (such as shiitake, oyster, cremini, chanterelle, morel, and/or button)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons snipped fresh rosemary
Snipped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out pizza dough as directed using a 16x12x1-inch pan.
Arrange cheese slices on top of dough in pan.
In a large skillet, cook onions, covered, in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat for 13 to 15 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 5 to 8 minutes more or until onions are golden. Remove from pan and set aside.
In the same skillet, combine mushrooms, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the garlic, and rosemary. Cook over medium heat until mushrooms are tender; drain well.
Spoon mushroom mixture over cheese. Top with onions.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until crust bottom is slightly crisp and brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Cut the pizza into 4-inch squares and serve immediately.

Serves 12.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Pissaladière

partysugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:00:31 -0700

Tonight, think like the people of Southern France and serve your family a crisp, flavorful, and classic pissaladière. With its flaky crust and savory toppings, pissaladière is similar to a pizza without cheese or sauce. Instead the puff pastry is covered with sweet caramelized onions, fragrant fresh herbs, and nutty, salty anchovies. Ripe tomatoes and briny olives, traditional ingredients native to Nice, finish off the tart. Serve this dish with a mixed green salad and a glass of chilled Chardonnay. For the recipe, read more.

Pissaladèire
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 sprigs thyme, plus 1 tablespoon leaves
1 sprig rosemary
Salt and pepper
One 2-ounce can anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained and coarsely chopped
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water
16 pitted small niçoise olives, halved lengthwise
16 grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

Directions

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and the thyme and rosemary sprigs; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and browned, about 25 minutes. Discard the herb sprigs and fold in the anchovies and thyme leaves.
Meanwhile, place the puff pastry on a 1-foot-long sheet of parchment paper and roll out to form a 10 1/2-inch square. Transfer to a baking sheet. Using a fork, prick the pastry all over, leaving a 1-inch border. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Preheat the oven to 400°. Brush the pastry border with the egg wash. Spread the onions evenly over the center of the pastry and sprinkle with the olives and tomatoes. Bake until the edges are golden and the bottom is browned, about 20 minutes. Slice into quarters; serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4.

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What's Cooking at Slashfood

YumSugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:00:37 -0700

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

One Chinese farmer has reportedly grown more than 10,000 buddha-shaped pears.
Doggie bag duties: do they belong to the server or the customer?
The Skinny Chef makes a healthier and cheaper version of her favorite lobster roll.
Give pizza a different kind of pizzazz with a polenta crust.
One Welsh municipality renames iconic dessert Spotted Dick to Spotted Richard.

Empanadas Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:50:33 -0700

With so many Summer activities going on, I've been looking for more delectables to fit my on-the-go lifestyle. My new favorite snack is empanadas. The savory delicacies are not only perfect for portable snacking, but they're an easy way to use up leftover ingredients, and double as an appetizer for impromptu gatherings. Simply keep uncooked ones in the freezer, and bake them as necessary. Strapped for time or new to cooking? Take advantage of premade pizza dough to make mini-pockets in minutes. Or set aside a few hours to mix together homemade pastry dough - it'll make the crust extra flaky. Decide which recipe suits you best.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Rosemary Chicken Pizza

partysugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:50:37 -0700

By now, you may know that I love pizza. Not only do I serve it as an appetizer and use leftovers as toppings, but I make it when I'm in need of a quick pick-me-up. After a long day, there's nothing quite as comforting as a crisp crust oozing with melted cheese.

Assembling a pizza also allows me to get creative in the kitchen without having to waste a ton of time prepping ingredients. This simple recipe combines a crunchy dough with rotisserie chicken, goat cheese, rosemary, and Parmesan cheese.

It's a filling meal on its own, but for additional balance I'll enjoy it with mixed greens. To look at the recipe, read more.

Rosemary Chicken Pizza
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

Pizza dough
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
Coarse salt
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
½ tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (about 1 sprig)

Directions

Invert a large baking sheet and place it on a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat the oven to 500°.
Invert a second baking sheet on a work surface and cover it with a sheet of parchment paper. Stretch the pizza dough to fit the parchment paper.
Brush the dough generously with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with parmesan and salt. Scatter the chicken, goat cheese and rosemary on top.
Slide the pizza and the parchment from the cool baking sheet to the hot baking sheet in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with more olive oil and top with more parmesan. Cut into pieces.

Serves 8.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Artichoke Pizzas With Green Beans

partysugar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:50:27 -0700

Certain leftovers are an excellent topping for pizza, while other leftovers are an outstanding pizza crust. Take pita breads, for example. Whenever I have a couple random pitas lying around, I use them to make pizza.

When broiled, the crust becomes crispy and wildly crunchy. This recipe tops the pita with roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, and grated cheddar cheese, but incorporate whatever vegetables and cheese you have in your pantry. Green beans tossed with fresh lemon juice taste excellent on the side. To look at this easily adaptable vegetarian recipe, read more.

Artichoke Pizzas With Green Beans
From Real Simple

Ingredients

2 pita breads, split horizontally
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
1 6-ounce jar artichokes, drained and cut in half
1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar (6 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 9-ounce package frozen French-cut green beans, thawed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
kosher salt and pepper

Directions

Heat broiler. Arrange the pita halves cut-side up on a broilerproof sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil and broil until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes.
Top with the red peppers, artichokes, almonds, Cheddar, and oregano. Broil until the cheese has melted, 2 to 3 minutes.
Divide the green beans among bowls. Drizzle with the lemon juice and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Serve with the pizzas.

Serves 4.

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