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Agenda 060211 – Pizza with REAL Pizzazz
Getting Tipsy – Pizza Stone Tips
Think of your pizza baking stone as a sponge; it will soak up everything put on it. These "stones" are actually molded sand, tightly compacted under high pressure. Like sand on the beach, they will suck in any liquid exposed to the surface. Anything else in the water -- including soap -- goes right into the stone. First, fill your sink with hot plain water and add at least 2 Tablespoons of baking soda. Stir to dissolve and add pizza stone to the water/baking soda mixture for 1 hour. This should thoroughly saturate the stone. Next, rinse and remove the stone and place it on a cookie cooling rack on your kitchen counter. Allow the stone to dry completely overnight. Or, if it is bright and sunny out, lay the stone on the cookie rack and rotate several times until thoroughly dry. Repeat this process 2-3 days in a row.
How do you heat a pizza stone to avoid cracking? Always place a room temp pizza stone in a cool oven and let the stone and oven gradually reach the desired temperate. NEVER place a wet or cold pizza stone in a pre-heated oven.
Crusty crust and perfect pizza - place stone in cold oven and heat to at least 425 degrees (I prefer 475). The crust has to bake and brown very quickly. A slow oven will not force the moisture out of the crust, and the toppings will make the crust soggy.
When rolling out the crust, dust the pizza pan or work surface with cornmeal for a crisp finish.
Be judicious with toppings. Many thin crusts simply cannot hold a lot of toppings. For an average 12" pizza, about 1/2 cup of sauce is plenty. A cup of vegetables and meats, and 1 to 1-1/2 cups of cheese will make a good thin crust pizza.
Deep dish pizzas are different. They must bake at a slightly lower temperature for a longer period of time so the pizza bakes evenly throughout.
A homemade crust is better than refrigerated pizza doughs. Those doughs are usually softer and wetter and almost never bake up crisp. When making your own dough, bread flour produces a superior crust. And be sure to knead (or beat, if the recipe is for a wet dough) the dough for a full 8-10 minutes.
Many doughs are better if you refrigerate them overnight before baking. This is also an excellent way to spread out the work.
Finally, have fun with your toppings. Experiment and listen to your taste buds. And be sure to write down the instructions for your successes.
History – Pizza
Pizza is a type of bread and dish that has existed since time immemorial in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. And was considered a dish of the poor people, it was sold in the street and was not considered a kitchen recipe for a long time. Before the 17th century, the pizza was covered with red sauce. This was later replaced by oil, tomatoes (after Europeans came into contact with the Americas) or fish. In June 1889, to honor the Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, the Neapolitan chef Raffaele Esposito created the "Pizza Margherita," a pizza garnished with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil, to represent the colors of the Italian flag. He was the first to add cheese. The sequence through which flavored flatbreads of the ancient and medieval Mediterranean became the dish popularized in the 20th century.
History has not made it clear whether Rafaelle began to sell this creation from his own pizzeria but it is known that the Pizza, in much the same form as we now know it, was thereafter enjoyed by all the Italian people. Variations began to be made in different parts of the country. In Bologna, for example, meat began to be added into the topping mix. Neapolitan Pizza became quite popular and it brought garlic and crumbly Neapolitan cheeses into the mixture as well as herbs, fresh vegetables, and other spices and flavorings. About this time the idea of baking in special brick ovens came into existence and the bread, as it is today, was a rather simple combination of flour, oil, salt and yeast.
Pizza spread to America, France, England and Spain, where it was little known until after World War II. While occupying Italian territories, many American and European soldiers tasted Pizza for the first time. It was love at first taste! Italian immigrants had been selling Pizzas in their American stores for some time, but it was the returning soldiers with a desire for the saucy delight that drew the Pizzas out of the quiet Italian neighborhoods into the main stream of city life all over the continent. In fact, the square "Sicilian Pizza" which is so popular and was the forerunner of the now well-promoted "Party Pizza" is an American invention. Real Sicilian Pizza has no cheese or anchovies.
Appetizer – Pizza Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1/2 cup onion, chopped 1/2 cup celery, chopped very fine 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon dried basil 1½ teaspoons dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 small bay leaf 1 ½ teaspoons fennel seeds
Directions: In a large skillet, melt butter with the oil. Add the onion, celery and garlic and sauté until soft and transparent. Add tomato sauce and tomato paste and stir until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and bring to slow simmer. Simmer for 30-60 minutes (or not at all depending on your taste and time frame). Remove the bay leaf and spread the sauce on your prepared pizza dough or use as a dip with baked bread.
Ingredients:
10 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped (reserve ½ cup juice) 1 large or 2 medium green peppers cut into ½ inch pieces 2 cups (8 ounces) ¼ inch chunks buffalo mozzarella cheese 3-1/2 ounces sliced pepperoni (from deli or pre-packaged) quartered 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained 1/4 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions: In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, green peppers, cheese, pepperoni, olives and onion. In a small bowl, combine the tomato juices, vinegar, oil, garlic, basil and pepper. Pour over tomato juice mixture, toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Yield: 10-12 servings.
Put it on the Side - Pizza Bread
Ingredients:
4 English muffins split 1/2 cup canned pizza sauce 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 16 slices pepperoni sausage
Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place the English muffin halves cut side up onto a baking sheet. Spoon some of the pizza sauce onto each one. Top with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the cheese is melted and browned on the edges.
Main Course – Chicago Style Pizza
Ingredients:
Pizza Dough: 16 ounces water 1/8-ounce yeast 1/2-ounce salt 2 pounds bread flour 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup cornmeal
Toppings: 2 cups tomato sauce 2 cups shredded mozzarella 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms 1/2 cup spinach, shredded 1/2 cup grated Romano 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Directions: In a mixer combine the water and the yeast and allow the yeast to dissolve. Add the remaining ingredients except for the cornmeal and begin to mix the dough using a dough hook on low speed. Once a ball is formed mix on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes until the dough becomes elastic and smooth. Remove from the mixer and place in a bowl coated with olive oil. Allow the dough to rest for approximately 4 hours. Once the dough is rested, place on flat surface and dust with some flour.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a deep baking dish or deep dish pizza pan, spread the dough using your fingers at the bottom of the pan and make sure to have enough dough to come up the sides of the pan approximately 1/2-inch high. Begin by placing a layer of the mozzarella cheese on the bottom of the crust. Add the tomato sauce and all of the toppings. Place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden and crispy. Serve pizza straight from the oven to the table.
Dessert – Black & Raspberry Dessert Pizza (compliments of Bobby Flay – Food network)
Ingredients: 1 store-bought pizza dough Canola oil, for brushing 1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese 2 tablespoons honey 2 plums, cut in wedges and grilled 1 cup raspberries 1 cup blackberries 1 cup strawberries Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Directions: Prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking. Once the grill is hot (you can hold your hands an inch over the grates for no more than 2 seconds), stretch and shape the dough into a 12-inch round on a flat surface. Brush the top with oil and toss on the grill, oil-side down. Cook until the bottom is golden brown, 1 minute.
Check the bottom of the dough to see if it is getting browned. If it is on one part, but not the other, use a spatula or tongs to rotate the dough 90 degrees and cook for another minute. If it is still not beginning to brown, cover the grill and continue to cook a minute at a time until the bottom has browned evenly. (It should only take a couple minutes if you have a hot grill.) The top of the pizza dough will also start bubbling up with air pockets.
Once the pizza dough has browned on the bottom, flip over and grill until golden brown and the dough is just firm, another minute or so. Remove to a sheet pan. Cover the grill so it retains the heat for the next step.
Combine the mascarpone cheese and honey. Smear the mascarpone over the pizza and scatter the plum wedges and berries on top. Put the pizza on the sheet pan back on the grill, close the cover and cook just to warm the fruit, about 2 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.
Lighten UP!!! Pan Pizza for 2 Dietitian's tip: Use any variety of herbs on this pizza: cilantro, (Mexican), nutmeg (Middle Eastern), oregano (Italian), or rosemary (French). Also try different vegetables, such as green onions, thinly sliced tomatoes, eggplant, hearts of palm, mushrooms or asparagus tips. For variety, try roasting the vegetables first. By Mayo Clinic staff - Serves 2
Ingredients: 1/2 cup chunky tomato sauce 1 8-inch pre-made whole-wheat pizza crust 1 slice onion 4 slices red bell pepper 1/4 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a baking pan with cooking spray. Spread tomato sauce over the crust. Top with the onion, pepper, mozzarella cheese and basil. Place the pizza on a baking pan and bake until the cheese is melted and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. - Nutritional Analysis (per serving)
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