Friday, November 5, 2010

Swiss Pizza



Piza dough of your choice
1/2 cup basic Tomato Sauce
2 1/2 oz baby new potatoes, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 small dill pickle (gherkin), thinly sliced
1 3/4 oz Swiss or Raclette cheese, thinly sliced

  1. Place a pizza brick, unglazed terracotta tile or baking sheet in the oven.
  2. Preheat oven to 450F
  3. On a floured surface, press out the Pizza dough using your fingertips into 9 inch circle (always pressing from the inside of the dough to the outside)
  4. Place the Pizza dough on the pizza brick, unglazed terracotta tile or baking sheet.
  5. Spread the tomato sauce over the surface and arrange the potato, onion, pickle and cheese on top.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the pizza is golden on the edges and crisp underneath.

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese

smoked_salmon_pizza

Pizza dough of your choice – I suggest thin and crispy
1 pot of Chunky Pesto dip
2 sliced tomatoes
100g Slices Smoked Salmon
1 pot of Cream Cheese
1 Lemon

  1. Place a pizza brick, unglazed terracotta tile or baking sheet in the oven.
  2. Preheat oven to 450F
  3. On…

New Orleans Cajun Chicken Pizza

new_orleans

Pizza dough of your choice – I suggest thin and crispy
150g Chicken – Thigh fillets are best.
2 tbs Cajun seasoning
2 tbs Olive oil
2 peeled mangoes or Mango Chutney
1 small pot of natural yogurt
1 banana sliced
1 small packet of cashew
One Spanish Onion or Regular onion will do.

  1. Place a pizza brick, unglazed terracotta tile or baking sheet in the oven, Preheat oven to 450F.
  2. On a floured surface, press out the Pizza dough, If you are going for thin and crispy, you will want to spread it pretty thin.
  3. Place the Pizza dough on the pizza brick, unglazed terracotta tile or baking sheet.
  4. Place in oven and heat for 5-10 minutes or until base starts to get crispy.
  5. Brown Chicken with Cajun seasoning and olive oil in a non stick fry span.
  6. Fry finely sliced onion in a separate pan until caramelized.
  7. Combine and spread evenly over the partially cooked pizza base.
  8. Add mango, sliced banana, cashew.
  9. Heat until cooked.
  10. Serve with yogur

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Tips for pizza

A pizza made at home should be better than a commercial pizza. You get it fresh from the oven made with fresh ingredients and the combination of ingredients that you want, on a homemade crust, and with the care that is not possible commercially.

But there are tricks to the technique that will make that pizza truly wonderful.

• A great pizza must have a great crust. A soggy crust will never do. Instead of piling the goodies on the uncooked dough, partially bake it first. Usually about eight minutes will do. Then pull it out of the oven, put the toppings on, and finish baking.

• Don’t under bake the crust. The crust is done when the bottom is partially browned. Use a spatula or tongs to lift one edge and peek at the crust.

• Never use a light-colored pan for baking a pizza. It will reflect the heat and you will have a hard time baking the crust thoroughly.

• A baking stone will help bake the crust. Put the baking stone in the oven at least fifteen minutes ahead of the pizza. We like to bake our pizzas on a dark baking pan placed on top of the hot stone.

• Place the pizza low in the oven where radiant heat from the heating elements will help bake the crust.

• If you have trouble forming the pizza crust, the gluten may be the problem. Gluten gives the dough elasticity and a tight dough wants to spring back into shape. Partially shape the crust and then walk away for five to ten minutes. When you get back, the dough will have relaxed and you can finish the crust.

• A pizza crust of uniform thickness is a better crust. If you are not adept at spinning the crust, roll it to a uniform thickness of about 1/4 inch with a rolling pin. You can do that on a peel dusted with cornmeal or semolina flour so that the crust will slip off easily onto the stone or pan. If you don’t have a peel, a sheet of heavy cardboard or even a wooden cutting board will do. You can also form the crust in your pan. The lips on the pan will preclude a rolling pin, but you can purchase a little rolling pin meant for the task (and for rolling pasta) that will work within the rims. If all else fails, grab a small jar and use it as a rolling pin.

• If you don’t have time to make or buy your favorite sauce, a jar of spaghetti sauce will do. Homemade is better but a good commercial sauce is okay.

• Some people prefer tender crusts; we prefer chewy. For a tender crust, use all-purpose flour. Our favorite crusts are made with bread flour tempered just a bit with whole wheat, rye, or all-purpose flours.

• For a really great pizza crust, once the dough is kneaded, cover it and place it in the refrigerator over night. The next day, remove the dough and let it rise on the counter. Allow plenty of time for the dough to come to room temperature and rise. At lower temperatures, the yeast produces a complex yeasty flavor that is very good.

• Pizza dough that is just a bit on the wet side is easier to work with and makes a nicer crust.

• Toppings can be anything you want them to be. Measurements don’t count though less is usually better. Experiment with some of your favorite foods.

• Olive oil makes a much nicer pizza crust than vegetable oil.

• If you are having trouble cutting your pizza with a knife or pizza wheel, grab the kitchen shears.

Making Pepperoni Pizza

Pizza-meaning
Pizza is one of the most famous and widely used dishes in all the parts of world. Pizza is considered a very famous dish through out the world. In United States of America the pizzas are popularly known as "pizza pie". Pizzas are available in various shapes and sizes and in a variety.

Ingredients used in the pizza
Some of the commonly used ingredients used in pizza are as follows:-
Yeast, the yeast is used in the pizza for the preparation of the dough.
Salt and sugar is for the preparation of the dough.
Pepper, basil, herbs are used for toppings.
Various types of vegetables are also used as toppings of the pizza.
Sauce of tomato or garlic paste is also used as toppings in most of the pizzas prepared.
Cheese, which adds taste is oftenly used as a topping in the pizzas.

Some of the types of pizzas are listed below
It is very tedious to list the types of pizzas as the list will run several pages due to the large variety of pizzas available. Sausage pizza, New York-style pizza, Chicago-style pizza/Chicago-style deep dish pizza, pepperoni pizza are some of the famous types of pizzas.

Pepperoni pizza
Pepperoni is an Italian-American made up of various types of dry salami which is generally prepared with the help of pork, goat, turkey, beef and also fish. Pepperoni is generally spicy by nature. From southern Italy it is a decedent of the spicy type of salamis. Pepperoni is generally used in the pizza as a topping. Hence the pizza is given the name as the pepperoni pizza. Pepperoni is frequently to serve as a topping for the American-style pizzerias and it may also be used for preparing sandwiches.

Pepperoni pizza is one of the most popular types of pizza in America. The consumption of the pepperoni pizza is quite high as compared with the other types of pizzas.

Peperoni has its corruption as Pepperoni. Peperone is the Italia plural. Is refers to bell pepper in the Italian language. In order to indicate a kind of spicy sausage pepperoni was evolved in Italian-American cuisine.

Ingredients used for making the pepperoni pizza:
It is very difficult to give a exact list of the ingredients used for the preparation of the pepperoni pizzas as the ingredients used of preparing differ from person to person. However the commonly used ingredients are listed below:
Pepperoni, generally spicy is preferred.
Pizza sauce or the spaghetti sauce is also used to make the pizza more delicious. The crust of the pizza is generally spread with the sauce layer.
Mozzarella Cheese which is generally KRAFT Shredded is used very oftenly. A layer of cheese is generally spread.
Olive may also be added on the surface of the pizza.
Frequently tomato sauce or gravy is used in order to make the pizza tastier.
Mince garlic may also be used to spread on the top of the crust.
Salt, pepper, oregano may be also be added for adding the taste to the pizza

How To Make A Home Style Egg, Spinach And Cheese Pizza

f you want an easy snack and can’t be bothered cooking something difficult, why not try this Home Style Egg, Spinach and Cheese Pizza.

It’s easy to make and healthy at the same time. I made this pizza the other day and absolutely love it.

Before we get started, you need to get a hold of Pita bread. You can purchase it from any Middle Eastern grocery store. Just ask for it…

Ingredients

•1 Pita bread
•1 Egg
•Handful Shredded cheese
•Pinch Salt and pepper
•Handful Spinach

Crack an egg and spread evenly over pita bread.

Spread cheese evenly over the egg.

Dice spinach..

Place under grill or pizza oven until fluffy.

Easy wasn’t it!

* Lebanese people mainly eat this for breakfast. You can make this at anytime of the day, as it’s easy to make without the fuss and fanfare.

The Pizza Toppings Belong

The invention also contemplates multi layer pizza dough containing pizza articles.
In the pizza industry, there has been many a conflict over how to make the best and most perfect pizza. Debates over the subject include what type of crust to use, the type of pizza sauce, type of toppings and even the type of cheese that makes the best pizza pie. From New York Style to Chicago Style to California Style, differences in technique are what make the Pizza World go around. Another one of those pizza arguments is where on the pizza the toppings should go. It is debatable that toppings under the sauce look better or worse than toppings above the sauce and cheese. There is even an issue over which one tastes better.

Chicago Style pizza is a recipe steeped in tradition. This deep-dish style pizza goes against the traditional grain of most of the other pizza recipes in the U.S. Instead of placing the toppings you choose on the top of the pizza sauce and cheeses, the sliced mozzarella cheese is placed in a layer on the crust, which is placed in the bottom of a deep-dish pizza pan. On top of the mozzarella cheese is placed the toppings of choice, such as Italian sausage, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms. The next layer is the sauce, which is the top layer. To many people who are not from Chicago or familiar with this style of pizza, this is something that is brand new. It may even seem backward to those who live elsewhere in the country and are used to another style of pizza. Many people say that Chicago Style is the best because it helps to keep the crust crispy because the sauce is on top, and not directly on the crust, making it soggy.

This other type of pizza places the sauce on the crust, shredded cheese layered above the sauce, and the toppings scattered above the cheese. This is what most people in the United States think of when they think of pizza. Many people don’t even know of a different way of making pizza. Some say Americans love the tradition of sauce directly on the crust.

While the theory of the ""best"" pizza is definitely up to the individual and personal preference, arguments over whose style is the ""best"" is an ongoing battle in the pizza universe. The argument will never be settled between the die-hards from their respective regions. But, the good news is, that the United States has become more and more open-minded when it comes to food. The real winners in this debate are the ones who eat a little bit of both types of pizza. The real winners realize that there is no best, only different. Every once in a while, treat your senses to something out of the ordinary. If you are used to Chicago Style and the toppings beneath the sauce, check out a new thing and have some New York Style or California Style pizza. The same goes for you New Yorkers and others. If you are always having the same old toppings-on-the-top pizza, go crazy and try some Chicago Style pizza. Open your palate up to the unique taste of something extraordinary.

Fruite Pizza recipe

This recipe is a slight alteration of the pampered chef fruit pizza recipe. I added a couple things that I think make it better and I hope you enjoy it! If you enjoy it, please share with a friend!

Here are the Ingredients you will need:

1 refrigerated raw sugar cookie dough tube
3 Tablespoons of cinnamon
2 tablespoons orange liqueur or juice
1 (12 ounce) container soft cream cheese
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large can crushed pineapple
2 small cans mandarin oranges
4 medium bananas, sliced
Strawberries
Nuts

To make the glaze for your fruit pizza you will need:

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp corn syrup
3 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp strawberry gelatin

Here are the instructions for preparation:

First you need to turn on and Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Always make sure there is nothing in the stove that could catch on fire.

Use caution when placing your pizza into the oven so as not to burn yourself.

Coat 12-inch pizza or springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Press cookie dough evenly into bottom of pan and bake 15-20 minutes. Cool Completely.

In mixing bowl, combine cream cheese with sugar, liqueur or juice and vanilla.

Spread over crust to 1-inch from edge.

Arrange fruit and nuts on top. I think making the nuts and fruits as diced and sliced as possible make it a better consistency. (I'm like that with sausage on my pizza too)

Glaze: Cook water, sugar, corn syrup, and cornstarch together until thick and clear. Stir in gelatin. Cool before putting on fruit. Once you have your fruit on top, sprinkle your cinnamon over the fruits and you are finished! Refrigerate before serving to your guests.

Pizza recipes

Pizza recipes
There are different types of pizzas available in the world today. It's almost impossible to list all the kind of recipe. The recipe for the commonly prepared is listed below:-

In the mixture of the warm water the yeast should be dissolved. Salt, sugar, flour should be added in the bowl. The yeast solution along with the olive oil should be added with it. With the help of the fork blend it. When the stiffness of the dough increases the remaining flour should be added to it with the help of the hand. Gather the mixture when it until it takes the shape of the ball. Let it rise in a draft free place until it is doubles.

After the dough is competing with the help of the blender of the food processor the pesto sauce must be prepared. Except the cheese all the ingredients must be combined. It should be processed properly and care should be taken that it does not create a puree. Set the side and stir in cheese. Sauté the onions and peppers in a olive oil which should be one table spoon and over a medium heat water in a large skillet. Unless the peppers are soft stir the mixture. Set it aside after draining it. Break the brown sausage as it cooks. The excess and the unwanted fat should be drained off. Before setting aside chop coarsely.

Upto 400 degree pre heat it. Over a 12-inch pizza pan spread the remaining olive oil. With the corn meal it should be sprinkled after adding the olive oil. After that the pizza should be punched down and then flattened lightly with the help of the rolling pin. After that turn the turn it and make it flattened with the help of the fingers. After that it should be placed in the pan and with the help of the finger tips it should be spread on to the edges. It should be baked properly care must be taken that it is not over baked or under baked. Generally it should be baked for 5 minutes.

After baking it, it should over the dough pesto sauce should be spread. Over the pesto goat cheese should crumbed evenly. After peppers, cheeses and sausages should be added. Until the crust id slightly browned and the cheese becomes bubbly bake it for around 10 minutes.

Pizza Equipment

Pizza Equipment

You can cook your pizza using a pizza pan or bake it directly on a pizza stone. If you are going to use a standard oven without a pizza stone, then stretch your pizza dough into the desired thickness on your pan, add your toppings and pizza sauce, preheat your oven and bake according to your pizza recipe. If you are using a pizza stone, cut your pizza dough, use one of the portions and stretch it into a pizza round of your desired thickness. Add your desired toppings and your homemade pizza sauce, load the pizza on your wooden peel (pizza paddle) then place said pizza round on top of the pizza stone. The pizza stone, at this point, should have been kept hot in the oven for at least an hour.

It is best to use a pizza stone for baking pizza. This leads to a crispier pizza crust for two reasons. First, it absorbs run-off and excess moisture. Second, it distributes heat from the oven evenly; thus, the pizza crust is uniformly cooked all over.

Naturally, if you want to make deep dish pizza, you have to use a pizza pan. On the other hand, you can pre-bake your deep dish pizza crust, add toppings and sauce then finish baking your pizza on a pizza stone.

A good oven with a timing device and a temperature monitor is also necessary for precise pizza baking. A wooden spoon, on the other hand, should be used for mixing the pizza dough to prevent sticking. Use a marble countertop when kneading dough for the same purpose.

Pizza sauce: usual ingredients and tips

"Pizza sauce: usual ingredients and tips

The usual pizza sauce recipes have tomato sauce. Flavor is enhanced by adding garlic and onions (whether powder or saut?ed) then ground meat, salt, pepper and other usual pizza spices such as basil and oregano. Typically, tomato-based sauces are thick. On the other hand, you can make a thin pizza sauce by mixing oregano and basil with olive oil. The fastest way of making pizza sauce is by using canned pizza sauce.

You must remember to apply pizza sauce with a light hand. Thick sauce must be carefully added on top of the pizza toppings. Thin sauce must be gently rubbed over the pizza. Excessive use of pizza sauce can lead to excess moisture and thus a limp pizza.

Pizza sauce: usual ingredients and tips

"Pizza sauce: usual ingredients and tips

The usual pizza sauce recipes have tomato sauce. Flavor is enhanced by adding garlic and onions (whether powder or saut?ed) then ground meat, salt, pepper and other usual pizza spices such as basil and oregano. Typically, tomato-based sauces are thick. On the other hand, you can make a thin pizza sauce by mixing oregano and basil with olive oil. The fastest way of making pizza sauce is by using canned pizza sauce.

You must remember to apply pizza sauce with a light hand. Thick sauce must be carefully added on top of the pizza toppings. Thin sauce must be gently rubbed over the pizza. Excessive use of pizza sauce can lead to excess moisture and thus a limp pizza.

Pizza making tips and tricks

A lot of factors influence will influence the results of your pizza making efforts. Primary among these factors are the pizza ingredients and pizza equipment used. The following are some pizza making tips and tricks that you can apply for the best homemade pizza.

Pizza Ingredients

The pizza ingredients that you use depend on the type of pizza that you wish to make. Moreover, you usually have to prepare three sets of ingredients: one for your pizza crust, another for your pizza toppings and another set for your pizza sauce,

"Pizza crust recipes: usual ingredients and tips

Flour is a definite necessity when making pizza crust. The usual ingredient in making the basic pizza dough is wheat flour, although whole wheat flour is also used by some. For a firm, elastic pizza dough, you'll want to use flour with moderately high gluten content (this is also known as hard flour).

The gluten is formed when water is added to the flour and it is a crucial part of the pizza's structure. Thus, when you make pizza crust, it is best to use bread flour or flour with especially high gluten content (check the label) which has enough gluten content for pizza making purposes. However, people who have celiac disease or those who prefer a low carb pizza crust usually opt for flour with low gluten content. Some even make gluten-free pizza in the belief that it is healthier. In any case, it is advisable to use premium-grade flour milled from first-grade wheat; the flour, moreover, should have quality protein (the flour and water mixture should be very easy to handle) and should be able to absorb a lot of water without becoming soggy and limp.

Yeast is another requirement in making the pizza base. The yeast is the leavening agent and it helps the pizza dough rise as well as helps the dough achieve elasticity (so you can stretch it into pizza rounds without breaking). Yeast and its fermentation, furthermore, give the pizza crust its distinct flavor. Unless you are using the instant dry yeast variety, you should mix yeast with warm water then let the mixture stand for around ten minutes before you use it in your pizza dough mixture. Furthermore, the best, yeasty flavor is achieved by leaving the pizza dough to rise for several hours after kneading.

The other dry ingredients that basic pizza dough has are salt, sugar, baking powder (if you need more leavening than what the yeast can provide), and dry milk. The salt is necessary to create the slightly salty taste of pizza crust which provides a great contrast to the pizza sauce flavor. Sugar, on the other hand, is added to add a slightly sweet taste to the crust as well as to facilitate yeast activity and to yield a browner pizza crust. Do not add a lot of sugar. Powdered milk or milk solids, on the other hand, adds to the dough's bulk, adds flavor and nutrients to the pizza dough as well as gives strength to the pizza dough's structure even if such is over-fermented. Use the non-fat variety especially if you are making low fat pizza.

The liquid ingredients include water and oil. Water is necessary for gluten generation and for activating yeast. Use slightly acidic as well as slightly hard water for best results. To ensure standard water pH, you can use distilled water (which has neutral pH) or tap water (which is usually slightly acidic, especially in cities). Oil, on the other hand, serves well to lubricate the dough for easier handling. Use extra virgin olive oil if you want it to serve more than just lubricating purposes; extra virgin olive oil also has a distinctive flavor. Olive oil, moreover, is healthy for it has lower saturation than other types of oil.

If you prefer, you can use egg white or egg yolk in your pizza dough. The egg white helps strengthen pizza dough whereas egg yolk helps soften dough. As such, you can use either depending on the type of crust you want to make. Add egg yolk, for instance, if you need to make your pizza dough softer. If you will use eggs, don't forget to reduce the amount of water in your pizza crust recipe.

You can also add flavorings like garlic powder to your pizza dough. You can even use herbs on your dough to give it a distinct flavor. Use sourdough starter, on the other hand, if you want to make sourdough pizza.

"Pizza toppings: usual ingredients and tips

There's not much you should know about pizza toppings. The ingredients are pretty much up to you and should depend on the type of pizza you are making. However, there are certain techniques to preparing your pizza toppings. For one, you should use fresh Mozzarella cheese when making your pizza. Moreover, you should not put the cheese on top if you need to bake the pizza for a long time; you'll end up with burnt cheese this way.

The usual pizza toppings include pepperoni, sausages, ground beef, ham, canned tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, bacon, ham, various types of cheese, and olive oil. Other toppings include shrimp, salmon, chicken meat, anchovies, fruits, artichokes, etc.

Preparation:

Preparation:

Dice leftover barbecued chicken or chicken from the grocery store. If you do not have leftover chicken, cook a couple boneless pieces of chicken and season to taste. Dice after cooking.

Dust your work surface with flour or cornmeal and roll out your pizza crusts.

Prepare your grill so that one side is hot and the other side is medium hot. Soak a pan of mesquite chips and apply them to the grill before you add your pizza. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil.

Slide the pizza crust onto the grill rack over the hot coals and shut the lid for 2 minutes. Remove the dough, placing the crust grilled side up on a pizza pan or baking sheet. Repeat with the second crust.

Brush the crusts with olive oil and some tomato sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella and provolone over the crusts. Top each pizza with the chicken and pepper strips. Sprinkle each with the Asiago cheese.

Slide one pizza back onto the grill on the medium hot side. Close the grill cover and let it cook for about 3 minutes. Check the crust so it does not brown too fast. Lower the heat if needed by moving coals to the hot side or reducing the thermostat. Cook another 4 to 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and crust is brown.

Remove the pizza from the grill and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. Repeat the last step with the second pizza.

(Makes 2 (12 inch) pizzas)

Mesquite Smoked Chicken Pizza


Ingredients -

Ingredients -

2 pizza crusts
Cornmeal and flour for dusting
Vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup tomato sauce
½ pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ pound provolone cheese, shredded
4 cups mesquite smoked chicken, diced
1 small yellow bell pepper, cored and cut in strips
1 small green bell pepper, cored and cut in strips
1 cup Asiago cheese, shredded

Mesquite Smoked Chicken and Peppers Pizza

Mesquite Smoked Chicken and Peppers Pizza

Doesn't a barbecue chicken pizza sound good? You can have one tonight with this deliciously simple recipe. You can use leftover chicken or cook some up from scratch to put on the pizza. Let it grill for a few minutes on the barbecue and dinner is ready. Feel free to substitute ingredients if you wish. Tomatoes, herbs and other tasty ingredients work well on the grill.

The cheese combination on this pizza is really good. Let your barbecue pizza cook until the cheese is all melted and bubbly so the flavors combine perfectly. Provolone, mozzarella, and Asiago cheeses are made for each other. Watch the crust though... it will tell you if the grill is too hot by browning too quickly. You can cool down your grill by turning down the burner on a gas grill or by moving coals away from the food on a charcoal grill. After a few tries, you will become an expert at grilling pizza. Do not worry if the crust gets a little too done the first couple of tries. It is still delicious.

Serve your barbecue chicken pizza with a fresh green salad for a full meal. Leftovers can be quickly reheated in the oven to maintain a crisp crust and eaten for lunch or a snack. If pizza is a favorite meal at your house, everyone will soon discover the fun of making your own pizzas on the grill. You cannot get this flavor from any pizza restaurant. The grill gives the entire pizza a delicious smoky flavor that cannot be beat.




Friday, October 29, 2010

Barbecue Chicken Pizza Recipe

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound chicken tenders
2/3 cup barbecue sauce
Flour, for dusting
1 package (13.8-ounce size) pizza dough
3/4 cup shredded Gouda
1 cup shredded mozzarella
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken tenders and saute until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. When chicken is cool enough to handle, dice chicken to yield a little over 1 cup.

In a small bowl, toss chicken with 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce. Set aside.

On a floured surface, roll out dough and place on a greased sheet pan. Shape to fill the sheet pan, about a 15 by 10-inch rectangle. Spread remaining barbecue sauce evenly over pizza dough. Sprinkle Gouda, mozzarella, Parmesan, onions, and chicken over top. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and cut into pieces.

Artichoke Chicken Pizza Recipe

Ingredients:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry -- thawed
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts -- cubed
1 medium onion -- halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cans diced tomatoes -- well drained
2 jars marinated artichoke hearts -- drained and coarsely chopped
1 can sliced ripe olives -- drained
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 cup prepared Alfredo sauce
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry into a 15-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Transfer to an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. baking pan. Prick pastry thoroughly with a fork. Bake at 400 for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute chicken and onion in oil until chicken juices run clear. Stir in the tomatoes, artichokes, olives and oregano. Remove from the heat.

Spread Alfredo sauce over crust. With a slotted spoon, spoon chicken mixture over sauce; sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

This recipe from CDKitchen for Artichoke Chicken Pizza serves/makes 6

Apple Pizza Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pound store-bought pizza dough
1/4 cup apple jelly, melted
4 medium-sized apples, cored, peeled, and sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to form a rectangle. Place it on a 10" x 15" rimmed baking sheet that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. With your fingertips, gently spread the dough to cover the pan, pressing it up the edges to form a rim. If the dough is too sticky, lightly dust it and your hands with flour.

Spread the melted apple jelly evenly over the dough, then arrange the apple slices in a single layer.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the apples. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Remove from the oven and cool slightly in the pan on a wire rack. Slice and serve warm or allow to cool before serving.

NOTE: For a sweeter touch, top with a glaze made of 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Whisk until smooth then drizzle over the pizza while still warm.

Homemade Pizza

Homemade Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

Pizza Dough: Makes enough dough for two 10-12 inch pizzas

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (105°F-115°F)
  • 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) of active dry yeast (check the expiration date on the package)
  • 3 1/2 cups bread flour (can use all-purpose but bread flour will give you a crisper crust)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Pizza Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • Cornmeal (to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone)
  • Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • Feta cheese
  • Mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • Bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, thinly sliced
  • Italian sausage, cooked ahead
  • Chopped fresh basil
  • Pesto
  • Pepperoni, thinly sliced
  • Onions, thinly sliced
  • Sliced ham

Special equipment needed

  • A pizza stone, highly recommended if you want your pizza dough to be crusty
  • A pizza peel or a flat baking sheet
  • A pizza wheel for cutting the pizza, not required, but easier to deal with than a knife

Method

Making the Pizza Dough

1 In the large bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer (such as a Kitchen Aid), add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.


2 Attach a mixing paddle to the mixer. Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on low speed for about a minute. Remove the mixing paddle and replace with a dough hook. Knead using the mixer and dough hook, on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a mixer, you can mix and knead by hand. If the dough seems a little too wet, sprinkle on a bit more flour.


3 Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place (75-85°F) until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or several hours longer, a longer rise will improve the flavor). If you don't have a warm spot in the house you can heat the oven to 150 degrees, and then turn off the oven. Let the oven cool till it is just a little warm, then place the bowl of dough in this warmed oven to rise.

At this point, if you want to make ahead, you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Preparing the Pizzas

1 Place a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.

2 Remove the plastic cover from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in half. Form two round balls of dough. Place each in its own bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes.

3 Prepare your desired toppings. Note that you are not going to want to load up each pizza with a lot of toppings as the crust will end up not crisp that way. About a third a cup each of tomato sauce and cheese would be sufficient for one pizza. One to two mushrooms thinly sliced will cover a pizza.

pizza-4.jpg

4 Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Let the dough relax 5 minutes and then continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter - 10 to 12 inches. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker. You can pinch the very edges if you want to form a lip.


5 Brush the top of the dough with olive oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings). Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes.

Repeat with the second ball of dough.


6 Lightly sprinkle your pizza peel (or flat baking sheet) with corn meal. Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost its shape in the transfer, lightly shape it to the desired dimensions.

7 Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and place your desired toppings on the pizza.

pizza-10.jpg

8 Sprinkle some cornmeal on the baking stone in the oven (watch your hands, the oven is hot!). Gently shake the peel to see if the dough will easily slide, if not, gently lift up the edges of the pizza and add a bit more cornmeal. Slide the pizza off of the peel and on to the baking stone in the oven. Bake pizza one at a time until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10-15 minutes. If you want, toward the end of the cooking time you can sprinkle on a little more cheese.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

pizza toppings

To list all toppings for pizza is impossible as the list is only restricted to the restrictions imposed by your imagination. Even popular pizza toppings are not easy to categorize when the Americans prefer pepperoni and the Japanese favor squid.

Having said that prefered pizza toppings are individual, I have attempted to compile a list of pizza toppings without using esoteric marshmallow and squid ink! Pizza is so universal that a pizza chef somewhere will have added every type of food known to man on a pizza, for sure an Aborigine will have popped a witchetty grub on a pizza somewhere, the witchetty grub being the larvae of the ghost moth. Equally a Thai pizza chef will have used green ants at some time. Crickets are a delicacy in Burma .

Whilst I regard it as unlikely that a chef has not combined all of these three toppings on a pizza I am not going to put any money on it! Should any one want to try to put green ants on the pizza they are better as a garnish they should never be cooked it destroys the Vitamin C and it as their Vitamin C content that makes them a valuable food source.

Pizza toppings are normally placed upon a pizza in a specific order, not because it is tidy but because the pizza sauce keeps the pizza dough moist, the cheese then provides a bed for the toppings to rest on and they do not dry out or fall off as the pizza slice is held. More cheese is added to keep the dough moist and the garnish is not cooked so it is applied last after baking. The following list is the traditional order:

  • Pizza Dough
  • Pizza Sauce
  • Cheese
  • Pizza Toppings
  • Cheese
  • Garnish

And here's a list of popular or some more obscure pizza toppings. Maybe you can get some inspiration out of this list, you may encounter some toppings that you didn't think of before:

Vegetables:

Alfalfa Sprouts

Artichoke hearts

Avocado

Baby leeks

Beetroot

Black Beans

Broccoli

Capers

Capicolla

Carrot

Cherry tomatoes

Dried tomatoes

Eggplant

Fungi

Fungi carciofi

Green peppers

Kalamata olives

Lettuce

Mushrooms

Onions

Olives

Peas

Porcini mushrooms

Portobello Mushrooms

Red beans

Red onions

Red peppers

Roast cauliflower

Roasted eggplant

Roasted Garlic

Roasted peppers

scallions

Shallots

Snow peas

Spinach

Sun dried tomatoes

Sweet corn

Watercress

Wild mushrooms

Yellow peppers

Yellow squash

Zucchini

Nuts:

Almonds

Peanuts

Pistachios

Pecans

Pine Nuts

Walnuts


Herbs and Spîces:

Basil

Bay Leaf

Cardamon

Chili Dried or Fresh

Chives

Cilantro

Coriander

Cumin

Dill

Garlic

Jalapeno Peppers

Laurel

Marjoram

Methi Leaves (aka Fenugreek)

Oregano

Parley

Pepper

Rosemary

Basil

Bay Leaf

Cardamon

Sea Food:

Anchovies

Cajun Prawn

Crayfish

Lobster

Oysters

Prawns

Salmon

Shrimps

Smoked Salmon

Squid

Tuna

Whitebait


Cheese:

Blue Cheese

Brie

Camembert

Chedar

Colby

Feta

Goat Cheese

Gorgonzola

Limburger

Manchego

Monterey Jack

Parmesan

Mozzarella

Muenster

Port de Salut

Provolone

Ricota

Romano

Roquefort

Smoked Gouda

Meats:

Bacon

BBQ Chicken

Beef

Cajun Chicken

Chicken Masala

Chicken Tikka

Chorizo

Duck

Ham

Honey Cured Ham

Meatballs

Pepperoni

Proscuitto

Salami

Sausage

Serrano Ham

Turkey

Venison

Southwestern Oil Sauce

Ingredients Required


  • 1/4 cup salad oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin seed
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Step by Step Procedure


  1. Puree ingredients in a blender and store in a small covered jar.
  2. Brush oil sauces on pizza dough, sprinkle on desired cheese, and then toppings.
  3. Cook just like sauced pizzas, however they may take just a 1-2 minutes less time until done.

Additional Information


  • These recipes makes enough sauce for 2 12" pizzas.
  • By using these examples, it's not hard to come up with your own variation based on your taste.

Canning Pizza Sauce

Canning Pizza Sauce

Canning Pizza Sauce preserves the sauce for use at any time of the year. It utilizes fresh simmer tomatoes when they are cheap and plentiful. The advantage that canning pizza sauce has over freezing pizza sauce is that it does not take room in the freezer; the canned pizza sauce can stay in the garage or a barn. The disadvantage of canning a pizza sauce is that it is possible to get bacteria into the finished product. However if you are using boiled jars or use a sterilizing tablet similar for babies' bottles then this risk is minimized.

Cooked vs. Uncooked Pizza Sauce

Cooked vs. Uncooked Pizza Sauce

Whether to use a cooked pizza souce or an uncooked pizza souce is a matter of personal preference. A cooked sauce has been reduced and if used hot may make the cheese melt before the base pizza dough is cooked. Both options have their benefits. One of the clear advantages of a cooked sauce is if it is winter and you have no fresh herbs, the cooked sauce absorbs the taste of dried herbs.

You can save your cooked pizza sauce in ice trays and then bag them up in a plastic bag, so you'll have a homemade pizza sauce ready in a portion that you are going to use.

If you don't have enough time to make a homemade pizza sauce then use an uncooked pizza sauce: buy concentrated tomato paste or liquidized tomato usually sold Italian style as passatta. All you need to do is spread it on the pizza dough.

Modern chefs are adapting pizza to combine the raw and the cooked sauces. See this recipe for Prosciutto, Herb & Rocket Pizza.

Oil, Herbs & Spices

Herbs and spices are used to enhance the flavor of your sauce. The most common herbs used in pizza sauce are oregano, basil, thyme, sage, marjoram, savory and mint. Oregano is the most popular spice in pizza sauce.

An easy way to spice your sauce is by adding infused olive oil. The bottle will keep for ages in the fridge and it can be put directly on the pizza base of either the raw dough or the precooked pizza.

South Western sauce is olive oil with garlic, oregano, cummin and black pepper.


Californian oil sauce: olive oil infused with garlic, pepper, oregano, parsley, basil, marjoram and chili
flakes.


Garlic oil is also very useful and can be made by infusing olive oil with garlic.

An oil infusion that is good with chicken pizza is tarragon oil.

science of pizza sauce recipe

The science of pizza sauce recipes is unfortunately subject to as many variables as finding thebest pizza dought recipe. Making homemade pizzas of the quality served in pizzerias is possible, but you need to do a little experimenting to adapt recipes to your taste. No pizza sauce recipe is written in stone, use your imagination. Pizza sauces should be fun and are the perfect food to experiment with.

Making a homemade pizza means that you know exactly what went into it, you have control over your diet because you can be sure that there are no additives or preservatives. Learning how to make pizza sauce will save you money and you'll be in control of the nutrients your family eats.

For healthy eating the best pizza sauce recipe is a simple low fat tomato sauce, topped with vegetables and fish. The cream and butter laden sauces, such as Alfredo sauce should not be eaten regularly if you want your food to be heart friendly.

The Classic Neapolitan pizza dough Shape

The Classic Neapolitan pizza dough Shape

The Neapolitans favor a thicker pizza with a rim. The dough should be a little over 3mm or 1/8 of an inch thick. The edges are a little thicker so that they will puff up in the cooking process. This means that this will form a natural barrier and keep the filling in the center.


The Classic Roman pizza dough Shape

The Roman style pizza does not have a rim because their pizza fillings are more viscous and they tend to stay in place and not have a tendency to slide off the pizza. The pizza is never more than 3mm or 1/8 of an inch thick.

Styles of Pizza Dough

Styles of Pizza Dough

What shape and size your pizza should be depends on how many people you want to feed and how traditional you want to make the pizza. Pizzas are not always round. the Sorrento region in Italy is famous for its rectangular pizza.

Though in theory pizzas can be any shape, a shape such as a crescent is not practical to pick up, as the filling will hold in the center and fall of the edge. Really the only important thing you have to decide is how thick or thin you want to make your finished pizzas.

For the traditionalists regarding Italian pizza dough recipes, there are two schools of thought dominated by the Romans and the Neapolitans.

How to Ascertain the Pizza Is Cooked

How to Ascertain the Pizza Is Cooked

If your oven has a glass door this is an easy process. If the pizza has a rim then the dough develops blisters and it is golden brown, without a rim the golden brown color of the edge indicates that the pizza is ready to be eaten.

If the oven has not got a glass door it's more difficult to check if your pizza is ready. Do remember that every time you open the oven door, heat is lost and the pizza becomes less than perfect each time the door is opened.

The process, depending on the oven, takes between ten to fifteen minutes and it will take longer if you have more than one pizza in. A thicker crust will also take longer than a thinner crust.

How To Make Pizza Dough

How To Make Pizza Dough

Strong white flour is best (in some countries this flour is marked as bread flour). Although plain flour can be used as well, it does not have the same high gluten content and therefore the finished pizza dough will not be as stretchy. Watching a pizza chef doing acrobatics with the dough is proof enough how elastic the dough should be, they throw it in the air and catch it with their fingers without it leaving a dent in the dough. This shows that the gluten has done its work and the pizza dough is robust and flexible.

Whilst it is technically possible to get the pizza dough to rise faster by placing the dough in a warm place, experts tend to agree that the finished pizza dough is best left to rise naturally, whatever the pizza dough recipe. After kneading the dough should be left to double in size naturally. This should be a process that is completed by the eye and not the clock. It can take anything between 1 hour and 2 hours depending on the temperature and the amount of draught.

Pay attention to the kneading process: it eliminates excess gas produced by the yeast and quite literally knocks the air out of the pizza dough. Many people find the action of kneading the dough very therapeutic and chefs are often asked how you can tell when the dough is kneaded sufficiently. The answer is: you can feel it in your hands (practice makes perfect).

Pizza dough keeps in the refrigerator for several days and frozen pizza dough can be kept for several months. I always have frozen pizza dough in the freezer for emergencies, and I find that if it is frozen in pieces the size of golf balls then it is defrosted in ten minutes.

When you come to baking your pizza dough, the chances are that you are using a conventional oven rather than one fired from the volcanic rocks of Vesuvius. The baking time is always intense and short and the temperature should be 220°C or 425°F. The pizza dough should always be placed on the upper shelves, and whilst you can cook more than one pizza base at once, they should never be placed at less than the middle. This is because heat rises and you cannot get the best heat at the bottom of an oven.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Tex−Mex Pizza

Pizza Recipe : Tex−Mex Pizza


Tex Mex pizza
Pizza : Tex−Mex Pizza - Info
Category Toppings
Servings 12'' Pizza (2-4)
Preparation 30 Minutes
Cooking Time 8-12 Minutes
Difficulty Easy-Medium

Tex Mex pizzas are characterized by the heavy use of beef, beans and spices. Check here for more Mexican pizza recipes.

Ingredients Required


  • 1 12 inch Thin Crust Dough shell (uncooked)
  • 2 large tomatoes, diced
  • 1 tbls. chopped jalapeno pepper
  • 4 green onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 2 tbls. grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbls. chopped cilantro, preferably fresh

Step by Step Procedure


  1. Place pizza crust on a greased pizza pan or ungreased pizza stone.
  2. Spoon tomatoes over pizza dough, leaving a 1/2" border.
  3. Top with jalapenos, garlic and onion.
  4. Sprinkle with cheeses and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Bake in 500 degree oven for 10 to 14 min. until bottom of crust is golden brown.
  6. Top with avocado, a dollop of sour cream and cilantro just before eating.
  7. Serve extra sour cream on the side.

Seafood Pizza

Pizza Recipe : Seafood Pizza


Pizza : Seafood Pizza - Info
Category Toppings
Servings 12'' Pizza (2-4)
Preparation 40 Minutes
Cooking Time 8-12 Minutes
Difficulty Easy-Medium

Ingredients Required


  • 1 12 inch pizza dough shell (uncooked)
  • 3/4 cup crab meat
  • 3/4 cup tiny shrimp
  • 1/2 cup crushed pineapple
  • 5 mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 1/4 oz. canned sliced black olives
  • 1/4 cup diced green pepper
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 1 cup white cheddar cheese grated

Step by Step Procedure


  1. Spread pizza dough on to a greased pizza pan or pizza stone.
  2. Brush dough with oil.
  3. Top with crab, shrimp, pineapple, mushrooms, olives, green pepper, mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
  4. Bake at 450 degrees F. until cheese is bubbly.

Philly Cheesesteak Pizza

Pizza Recipe : Philly Cheesesteak Pizza



Pizza : Philly Cheesesteak Pizza - Info
Category Toppings
Servings 12'' Pizza (2-4)
Preparation 40 Minutes
Cooking Time 8-12 Minutes
Difficulty Easy-Medium

Ingredients Required


  • 1 Medium onion, sliced
  • 1 Medium green pepper, sliced
  • 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
  • 8 oz. roast beef, shaved
  • 3 tbls. Worchestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teas. Black pepper
  • 1 Batch Sicilian Thick Crust Dough
  • 3 tbls. olive oil
  • 1 teas. crushed garlic
  • 4 cups provolone cheese
  • 1/4 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

Step by Step Procedure


  1. Saute vegetables in 1 tb. olive oil until limp; add roast beef.
  2. Sauté for three more minutes.
  3. Add Worchestershire sauce and pepper; stir and remove from heat. Set aside.
  4. Brush prepared dough with 3 tb. olive oil and spread crushed garlic over entire surface of dough.
  5. Top with a light layer of shredded cheese, then meat/vegetable mixture, distributing evenly.
  6. Top with remaining shredded cheese, then Parmesan.
  7. Bake in prehated 500F oven until cheese is melted and bubbly.
  8. Let sit 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Chicago Style Pizza

Chicago style pizza
Pizza : Chicago Style Pizza - Info
Category Toppings
Servings 12'' Pizza (2-4)
Preparation 180 Minutes
Cooking Time 25 Minutes
Difficulty Easy-Medium

Chicago-style pizza, or deep dish pizza contains a crust which is formed up the sides of a deep dish pan. It reverses the order of ingredients, using crust, cheese, filling, then sauce on top. Some versions (usually referred to as "stuffed") have two layers of crust with the sauce on top. Deep dish pizza was purportedly invented and first served in 1943 at Pizzeria Uno, which is still operating along with its twin restaurant, Pizzeria Due, in the River North neighborhood.

Ingredients Required


DOUGH:

  • 1 Package active dry yeast
  • 2 teas. Sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups Warm water
  • 2 3/4 cups All−purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 3 tbls. Olive oil
  • 1 teas. Salt

TOPPING:

  • 1 cup Pizza sauce
  • 12 oz. Shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 lb. Ground beef, crumbled, cooked
  • 1/4 lb. Italian Sausage, crumbled, cooked
  • 1/4 lb. Pork Sausage, crumbled, cooked
  • 1/2 cup Pepperoni, diced
  • 1/2 cup Canadian bacon, diced
  • 1/2 cup Ham, diced
  • 1/4 lb. Mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small Onion, sliced
  • 1 Green bell pepper, seeded, sliced
  • 2 oz. Grated Parmesan cheese

Step by Step Procedure


  1. For dough, sprinkle yeast and sugar into warm water in small bowl; allow stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  2. Mix flour, cornmeal, oil and salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center and add yeast mixture.
  3. Stir to form a soft dough, adding more flour if necessary.
  4. Turn onto a floured board and knead until dough is supple and elastic, 7 to 10 minutes.
  5. Transfer to a large bowl, cover and let rise in a warm spot until dough has doubled, about 1 hour.
  6. Punch down dough.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 13-inch circle.
  8. Transfer to an oiled 12−inch pizza pan, folding the excess over to make a small rim.
  9. Spread with pizza sauce; sprinkle with all but a handful of the mozzarella cheese.
  10. Sprinkle with meats and vegetables.
  11. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
  12. Let rise in a warm spot about 25 minutes.
  13. Heat oven to 475 degrees.
  14. Bake pizza until crust is golden, about 25 minutes.
  15. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
Pizza Recipe : Roasted Garlic and Peppers Pizza


Pizza : Roasted Garlic and Peppers - Info
Category Toppings
Servings 12'' Pizza (2-4)
Preparation 105 Minutes
Cooking Time 8-12 Minutes
Difficulty Easy-Medium


Ingredients Required

* 1 large head garlic, unpeeled
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 large red onion, cut in 1/2−inch−thick rings
* 1/3 cup oil−packed sun−dried tomatoes, drained, oil reserved
* 1 − 12 inch pizza dough shell (uncooked)
* 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
* 1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers from jar, cut into 1/2 inch strips
* 2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
* 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley


Step by Step Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg. F.
2. Slice top off garlic head; place in small baking dish.
3. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
4. Brush baking sheet with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
5. Place onion slices on sheet and brush onion with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
6. Bake garlic and onion until garlic cloves are light brown and soft and onion is tender, about 45 minutes.
7. Remove from oven; let cool.
8. Using fingers, squeeze out roasted garlic cloves into food processor; add sun−dried tomatoes.
9. Using on/off turns, process until almost smooth, adding enough reserved oil form sun−dried tomatoes to form paste. (Onions and garlic mixture can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
10. Prepare pizza dough of choice and have it ready to be topped.
11. Spread garlic paste evenly over crust.
12. Top with mozzarella cheese, onion, pepper strips and feta cheese.
13. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons basil and 1 tablespoon parsley.
14. Bake pizza until crust is golden brown and cheese bubbles.
15. Transfer to cutting board. Cool for 5 minutes.
16. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and 1 tablespoon parsley.
17. Cut into wedges and serve.

Grilled Pizza

Pizza Recipe : Grilled Pizza


Pizza : Grilled Pizza - Info
Category Toppings
Servings 12'' Pizza (2-4)
Preparation 105 Minutes
Cooking Time 8-10 Minutes
Difficulty Easy-Medium

Ingredients Required


  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 1/2 cup warm water divided (110F)
  • 3 1/2 cups Unbleached white flour
  • 1/4 cup corn meal
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 4 tbls. olive oil divided
  • 2 teas. light brown sugar
  • 2 pks. dry yeast
  • Sauce, cheese, and toppings of your choice

Step by Step Procedure


DOUGH:

  1. Measure 1/2 cup warm water in a bowl.
  2. Add sugar and yeast and stir to dissolve.
  3. Allow stand at least 5 minutes to proof, or until froth forms on top.
  4. Meanwhile, sift together into a large bowl the white flour, wheat flour, corn meal and salt.
  5. Make a depression in the middle and add 3 Tbls of the olive oil and 1 cup warm water.
  6. Add prepared yeast mixture.
  7. Mix all ingredients with your hands and gather together and place on floured board.
  8. Knead about 10 minutes, adding more flour if dough is sticky, to form a smooth, elastic mass.
  9. Grease a large bowl with olive oil.
  10. Place dough in bowl, turning it to coat with oil.
  11. Cover and let rise in warm place, draft−free location until doubled in size − about 45 minutes.

PIZZA:

  1. While dough is rising prepare desired sauces and toppings.
  2. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces and, on floured surface, roll out to desired shape about 1/2 inch thick.
  3. Coat both sides of shaped crust with olive oil, then place on grill directly over fire until upper surface begins to bubble (about 2 minutes).
  4. Fire must be very hot and grill must be clean (coals should be red with a small flame, like a steak fire; this is important).
  5. Watch crust closely and rotate with spatula if necessary.
  6. Remove crust and turn cooked side up (it should be golden brown).
  7. Brush with olive oil, sauce, cheese and desired toppings.
  8. Sprinkle some olive oil over each pizza.
  9. Return for final cooking (2−4 minutes).

Additional Information


  • Cooking time of sauce, cheese, and toppings will be shorter than in an oven. Use toppings that take little time at all (if any) to actually cook and do not overload. Try using a soft or crumbled cheese and a cooked, warm sauce.

Cheese Calzone

Pizza Recipe : Cheese Calzone


Cheese calzone
Pizza : Cheese Calzone - Info
Category Toppings
Servings 12'' Pizza (2-4)
Preparation 75 Minutes
Cooking Time 10-12 Minutes
Difficulty Easy-Medium

Ingredients Required


  • NY Style Pizza Dough
  • 1 lb. ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 1 pinch ground black pepper

Step by Step Procedure


  1. Preheat oven to 500F.
  2. Take a 6 oz. dough ball and place on floured surface. Spread, with finger tips, to a 6 inch circle.
  3. Place 2/3 cup cheese mix on one side and fold over other side. Seal with finger tips making sure no cheese mixture is in the seal. Pinch the edge to assure a tight seal.
  4. Pat calzone to even filling inside.
  5. Check seal again for leaks. Repeat with the others.
  6. Place calzones on a lightly greased baking sheet or pizza stone.
  7. Cut a 1 inch slit in the top of each for venting while baking.
  8. Place in center of oven and bake for 10−12 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. Serve with your favorite tomato sauce, warmed, either on top or on the side for dipping.

Pizza Recipe : Caramelized Onion Pizza

Pizza Recipe : Caramelized Onion Pizza


Caramelized Onion Pizza- Info
Category Toppings
Servings 12'' Pizza (2-4)
Preparation 45 Minutes
Cooking Time 12-15 Minutes
Difficulty Easy-Medium

Ingredients Required


  • 1/4 cup olive oil for frying onions
  • 6 cups thinly sliced onions (approximately 3 pounds)
  • Caramelized Onion Pizza
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 3 Tbs. fresh thyme or 1 Tbs. dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt & pepper
  • 2 Tbs. oil for dribbling on top of pizza (optional)
  • 1 Tbs. drained capers
  • 1-1/2 Tbs. pine nuts

Step by Step Procedure


Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil and add the onions, garlic, thyme and bay leaf.
Cook, stirring occassionally, until most of the moisture has evaporated and the
onion mixture is very soft, almost smooth, and caramelized, about 45 minutes.
Discard the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.


Cover the dough with the onion mixture, sprinkle with capers and pine nuts,
and drizzle with remaining olive oil if you are using it. Bake in
pre-heated 500 degree oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown. The baking
time will vary depending on whether you bake on a stone, a screen or in a
pan. Be sure that your oven is well pre-heated before putting pizza in.

Go back to the Pizza topping page.

Pizza Margherita

Pizza margherita
Pizza : Margherita Pizza - Info
Category Toppings
Servings 12'' Pizza (2-4)
Preparation 35 Minutes
Cooking Time 8-12 Minutes
Difficulty Easy-Medium

Pizza Margherita is a pizza prepared according to a recipe of the Italian chef Raffaelle Esposito. The pizza was first made in 1899 when Queen Marghereta visited Napels to escape a cholera epidemic in the north of Italy. The ingredients used to make a Margherita pizza, tomatos, mozzarella cheese and basil, imitate the colors of the Italian flag. Queen Margherata liked the pizza so much that she wrote a thank you letter to Esposito, who decided to name the pizza after the Queen.

Ingredients Required


  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 lb. plum Roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 12" uncooked NY Style dough crust
  • 6 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 6 fresh basil leaves cut into julienne strips
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese

Step by Step Procedure


  1. Combine 2 Tbls. olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, and salt in bowl.
  2. Allow to marinate while making dough.
  3. Brush dough crust lightly with olive oil.
  4. Top with cheese, then tomatoes.
  5. Drizzle with olive oil.
  6. Bake in preheated 500F oven on pizza stone for 8−10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.
  7. Remove from oven and top with parmesan cheese, then basil.
  8. Cool on a wire rack for 2−3 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

Pizza Recipe : Muffuletta Pizza

Pizza Recipe : Muffuletta Pizza


Pizza : Muffuletta Pizza - Info
Category Toppings
Servings 12'' Pizza (2-4)
Preparation 9 Hours
Cooking Time 8-10 Minutes
Difficulty Easy-Medium

Ingredients Required


  • 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1/3 cup chopped pimento−stuffed green olives
  • 1/4 cup chopped pepperoncini
  • 1/4 cup chopped cocktail onions
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp. dry Italian salad dressing mix
  • 3 oz. thin−sliced deli ham/salami, diced
  • 8 oz. shredded provolone cheese
  • 2 12" uncooked dough crusts
  • extra virgin olive oil

Step by Step Procedure


  1. Mix first 7 ingredients for marinated olive salad and chill overnight.
  2. Combine olive mixture, ham, and cheese.
  3. Top one dough crust with 1/2 of mixture.
  4. Drizzle with oil.
  5. Bake in preheated 500° F oven for 8−10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.
  6. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 2−3 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.
  7. Repeat with other dough crust.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Sicilian Pizza Recipe

pizza dough pizza sauce pizza toppings pizza recipe







In Sicily they do not often use cheese in their pizza recipes and the toppings, particularly the herbs, are baked directly on top of the pizza dough. The Sicilians use a lot of olives and a flavored paste called a tapenade which can be used as a dip or as a topping for the Sicilian pizza. To make tapanade, olives are stoned then minced in a pestle and mortar and then pepper, basil, sage and thyme are added.

Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is awash with fresh sardines and surprisingly the most popular pizza topping is fresh sardines. If you cannot get fresh sardines, canned can be used, but it gives a completely different taste and texture. Add canned sardines at the last minute as they need only to be heated.

Pizza : Sicilian Pizza - Info
Category Toppings
Servings 1 to 2 12'' Pizzas
Preparation 60 Minutes
Cooking Time 15 Minutes
Difficulty Easy-Medium

Ingredients Required


  • 1 Basic pizza dough recipe
  • 3/4 pound fresh sardines, cleaned and gutted with, heads, tails and backbone removed
  • Sea salt for dredging
  • 1 pound plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil plus 1 tablespoon
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/2 pound young mild Caciocavallo or Provolone cheese, diced or sliced

Step by Step Procedure


  • Prepare the pizza dough
  • Wash the sardines and roll in the salt
  • Cut up the tomatoes and place in a colander to drain for about 1 hour
  • In a large pan, heat 1/2 cup olive oil over medium heat, then sauté the onion until it is translucent
  • Reduce the heat to low, add the tomatoes, and simmer for thirty minutes stirring occasionally
  • Add half the sardines and take off the heat immediately
  • Preheat the oven to 425°F
  • Roll out the dough to an eighth of an inch thick and lay it in a lightly oiled pizza pan
  • Using half the tomato sauce and all the cheese, cover each pizza and bake 20 minutes
  • Add the rest of the sauce and place the remaining sardines on top radiating outwards like the spokes of a wheel.
  • Serve immediately

Fruit is added to pizzas in several ways, it can be as an adjunct to a savory pizza as in Gorgonzola bacon and pears, or pineapple added to a meat piz

FRUIT PIZZA

Fruit Pizza


Fruit is added to pizzas in several ways, it can be as an adjunct to a savory pizza as in Gorgonzola bacon and pears, or pineapple added to a meat pizza to make a Hawaiian pizza. Sometimes figs are added to a ham to complement a savory pizza.

At other times a fruit pizza is combined with honey or cream cheese, or crème fraîche to make a dessert fruit pizza. A fruit pizza may also have savory spices: nothing brings out the flavor of fresh strawberries more than freshly ground black pepper and it makes a superb additive to a strawberry pizza.

The Pillsbury dough company has long promoted a fresh fruit pizza using their cookie dough but other recipes do exist to make a fruit pizza from scratch using a scone type of dough.

Here are some of the best fruit pizza recipes I know. Learning how to make fruit pizza is easy, but the complexity differs from recipe to recipe.

Let's begin with an oath fruit pizza recipe:

The history of pizza

The history of pizza


The history of pizza has been, and is contentious, for we can never know which nation invented pizza, but pizza history is no less colorful for that fact. As we cannot know the date when the first pizza was invented ,we can only speculate who invented pizza.

Pizza, as we know it today, is a bread crust covered with a tomato base and then flavored with other toppings. Yet tomatoes did not appear on European menus until the Sixteenth Century, when they were brought over from the New World by the Spanish conquistadors. Pizza as we know it today, with a crust, tomato and other toppings, was even later in history; it did not originate until the eighteenth Century in Naples .

Italian folklore claims that the first pizza was Italian, and it is certain that in ancient times the ancient Greeks and Romans had a type of unleavened bread, topped with a flavor before being baked. We know from historical writings that the Greek pizza was merely vegetables, but the origin of the pizza in Italy was more sophisticated. It was topped with pork scraps, olives and the sweet desserts with honey, raisins and pine nuts. Some of those sweet dessert pizza recipes have been enshrined in pizza history and are still used in Italy today.

Italian pizza history

The precise history of the pizza and its origin will never be known, but here is what we know about the Italian pizza history:

  • The history of pizza goes back to the time of Virgil, who died in the first Century BC, but not before writing down a pizza recipe for posterity.

  • Around 1000 AD the word “picea” started to appear in historical records in Italy , it was a circle of dough and the topped with a variety of fillings then baked. The word pizza came into common usage at about the same time.

  • It was some time later before pizza became to be made from leavened dough, as we know it today. At the same time the pita type bread schiacciata was made.

  • Towards the end of the eighteenth Century historical records show an early record of the “Calzone” it was rolled with the stuffing completely encased inside it, and it was then shaped like a crescent, and baked.

  • The pizza as we know it today began to originate in Naples; they were flavored with oil and garlic, cinciielli (a small fish), or anchovies, and mozzarella cheese.

  • Up to 1830 the pizzas were sold from Neapolitan market stalls. The first pizza restaurant was called Port' Alba. It had installed an oven fired by volcanic rock from Mount Vesuvius as these reach the high temperatures that help to make the best pizza.

  • Salvatore di Giacomo, the Naples poet and dramatist, dedicated several poems to pizza.

  • Alexander Dumas, the author of the three musketeers was inspired to write about pizza. Dumas referred to a pizza that was not eaten for eight days. However he had obviously never tried one. He mentions that it was called an “Otto”, the Italian word for eight, but in this he got it wrong, it was eaten immediately but the baker got paid eight days later. There were still a few bakers in Naples that carried this tradition until the seventies and it is possible this tradition exits even today.
  • The pizza is a kind of stiacciati which is round in shape and made with bread dough, at first glance it looks like a simple food, but when examined more closely it looks more complicated ”. Dumas

  • By the nineteenth century the pizzas in Naples were garnished with pork fat, oil lard cheese, tomatoes and tiny fish, surprisingly enough not the recipe for a winning pizza!

  • The sixteenth century Bourbon queen Maria Carolina loved the tri colored green red and white pizza (the forerunner of the Margherita pizza) so much that she convinced her husband King Ferdinand IV to allow the pizzas to be made in the royal ovens. She had a problem because pizza as a food was associated very much with the peasants.

  • No history of pizza would be complete without the classic story of the pizza Margherita. Modern pizza history was made in 1889 when Queen Margherita Teresa Giovanni, the consort of Umberto I, visited Naples with her king. Don Raffaele Esposito, who owned Pietro Il Pizzaiolo, was asked to prepare a special dish in honour of the Queen's visit. Esposito consulted his wife who was the real pizza expert and together they developed a pizza featuring tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil. He named it the Margherita Pizza, after the city's guest of honor.

    Mozzarella is made from buffalo's milk and had never before been used to make a pizza. Ironically a cheese, basil and tomato pizza was already popular in Naples, but it did not have quite the same impact in the annals of pizza history .

  • Baker's shops in Pompeii show evidence of flat breads that could have been amongst the world's first pizzas. If they are, they must qualify to be the world's most preserved pizza, enshrined in lava forever.

History of pizza in the US

Italian immigrants brought pizza to America. Gennaro Lombardi made the first pizza In the US , when he opened the first pizzeria in New York City , in 1905. The restaurant was named Lombardi's Pizzeria Napoletana, located at 53-1/2 Spring Street in New York City . It was not to be a commercial success, as the roots of the history of pizza in the US had not yet been established. The demand in the USA was not there at the start of the twentieth Century.

The Second World War changed American pizza eating habits forever, the serving GI's had got the taste for it in Italy and they could not get enough of it when they went home.

The first pizza restaurant in Chicago was called Pizzeria Uno and was run by Ike Sewell. Pizza history was made when he made the first deep dish pizza.

As contentious as the history of pizza is, no one can argue that it is not one of the most popular cuisines that the world has ever seen.

Buon appetito!