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High Fiber Pizza Crust

High Fiber Pizza Crust

1 tsp. honey
3/4 cup warm water
1T. active dry yeast
3/4 cup arrowroot flour
1 1/2 cups spelt flour
1 1/2 cups cooked great white northern beans, pureed
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup regular olive oil
Note: add spelt flour as required.

In mixing bowl, dissolve honey in warm water. Sprinkle in yeast and let stand 10 minutes until foamy. In separate bowl, stir together flours, pureed beans and salt. Stir oil into yeast mixture. Stir in about half the flour mixture. Gradually stir in the rest of the flour to make a slightly sticky ball of dough. Divide into two balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each half of the dough into circles about 10 inches in diameter. Transfer to two nonstick pizza pans. Stretch dough to fit round pans. Let rest at least for 10 minutes before adding toppings. A 30-minute rise will give you a thicker, higher crust. Add toppings just before baking in a pre-heated oven at 375-degree. Bake 25 minutes.

Yield: 2 pizza crusts, 12 servings total
Serving Size: 1 slice pizza

Calories: 148
Fat: 5g
Fiber: 2.5g

Notes: Even though an individual slice doesn’t meet the 4g fiber I usually require to put this in the high fiber category, I’m adding it because a person would rarely have one slice only, plus it’s still tons of fiber over white bread dough. This isn’t particularly low calorie dough, and this is only for the crust, not the toppings which will add even more calories. But if you are craving pizza, this is a great way to get some extra fiber in your diet. With topping of caramelized onion, sliced artichole hearts and a minimal amount of sauce and cheese — yum! =)

Herbed Cheese Pizza

Herbed Cheese Pizza

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tsp. sugar
1 package quick-rise yeast (2-1/2 tsp.)
1/2 cup warm water (105` to 115`)
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
Cooking spray
2 tsp. cornmeal
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. chopped fresh or 1 tsp. dried oregano
1 T. minced fresh cilantro
3/4 tsp. fennel seeds
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1-1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add 1-1/4 cups flour, oil, and 1/4 tsp. salt; stir to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 T. at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Place dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray; turn to coat top. Cover; let rise in a warm place (85F), free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Preheat oven to 450F. Punch dough down; roll dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Place dough on a baking sheet or 12-inch pizza pan coated with cooking spray and sprinkled with cornmeal. Crimp edges of dough to form a rim. Let dough stand, covered, 10 minutes. Place a small saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium heat until hot. Add garlic, and saut 2 minutes. Add 1/4 tsp. salt, oregano, cilantro, fennel seeds, pepper, and tomato sauce; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring occasionally. Spread sauce over pizza crust; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 450F for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden. Remove pizza to cutting board; cut into wedges.

Yield: 6 servings
Calories: 221
Fat: 5.8g
Fiber: 1.4g

Vegetable Whole Wheat Pizza

Vegetable Whole Wheat Pizza

Dough:
1 cup warm water
1 tsp. honey
1 package dry yeast
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and forming dough
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. salt
Vegetable Spray, for bowl
Cornmeal, for pan
Topping:
1 T. olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup white wine
2 large red onion, chopped
4 cups packed fresh spinach leaves, washed well
1 T. chopped fresh tarragon leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 fresh tomatoes, sliced
3/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup grated part-skim mozzarella
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. To make the dough: In a small bowl, combine water, honey, and yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, oregano, crushed red pepper and salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, adding flour as needed if dough is sticky, about 10 minutes. Clean the bowl and coat it with vegetable spray. Form the dough into a ball, put it in the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, to make the topping: Heat the olive oil and 1/4 cup wine in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, adding more wine, if needed, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 3 minutes more. Stir in tarragon and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside. Punch the dough down and let rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle a large baking sheet with cornmeal. On a lightly floured surface, stretch the dough into a 12-inch circle, rolling the edge over slightly and pinching it together to form a thick rim. Place the dough on the baking sheet. Arrange the tomato slices over the crust and top with the spinach mixture. Scatter the mushrooms and bell pepper over the top, then sprinkle with the cheese and crushed red pepper. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Sprinkle with garlic salt, cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Yield: 8 servings
Calories: 216
Fat: 4g
Fiber: 5g

Mushroom-Lover’s Pizza

Mushroom-Lover’s Pizza

1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough (or supply your own)
1 T. cornmeal
1-1/4 cups sliced oyster mushroom caps (about 3.75 oz.)
1-1/4 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded fontina or Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.Roll dough into a 13 x 9-inch rectangle; place on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Arrange sliced mushrooms and shallots over dough. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and pepper; top with cheeses. Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Yield: 6 servings
Calories: 160
Fat: 4.5g
Fiber: 0.6g

Notes: If you take the time to saut the mushrooms before they go on the pizza, the texture may be more pleasing and the flavors intensified. Also, with no sauce, this is dryer than your traditional pizza hut slice. Plain tomato sauce with a little italian seasoning stirred in could be used to add some moisture without many calories and no fat. Also tasty, but changing the calories/fat is some chopped garlic mixed in olive oil brushed over the surface of the dough.

Chicken Puttanesca Pizza

Chicken Puttanesca Pizza

from Cooking Light, September 2003

1 10oz. Italian Cheese Flavored Pizza Crust (such as Boboli)
1 1/3 C. Mushroom & Olive Pasta Sauce
2 tsp. Capers
1/4 tsp. crushed Red Pepper
1 6oz. pkg. Italian-style cooked Chicken Breast (such as louis rich), or 1 C. diced cooked chicken
3/4 C. (3oz) shredded part-skim Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place pizza crust on a baking seet. Spread pasta sauce over crust, leaving a one inch border; top with capers, pepper, and chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 450 for 12 minutes or until the crust is crisp. Cut into 4 wedges.

Yield: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1 wedge

Calories: 342
Fat: 9.6g
Fiber: 1.4g

Garlic and Herb Pizza Dough

Garlic and Herb Pizza Dough

1 T. Active Dry Yeast
1 1/4 C. Warm Water
1/2 tsp. Sugar
2 T. Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1 T. Fresh Basil, Chopped
1 tsp. Pepper
3 C. Flour
1 tsp. Salt

Place yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water with the sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir and let stand about 10 minutes, or until creamy and foamy. Add olive oil, garlic, basil, and pepper and stir. Using the bread dough hook on an electric mixer, add flour, one cup at a time. Add salt and mix until a soft dough forms. Place dough on well floured surface and knead to form a smooth, elastic dough, about 3-4 minutes. Place dough in large bowl sprayed with cooking spray, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Cilantro Pesto Pizza Topped with Portobellos and Red Onion

Cilantro Pesto Pizza Topped with Portobellos and Red Onion

Crust:
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp.)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 C. warm water (100 to 110)
1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Cooking spray
2 tsp. yellow cornmeal

Pesto:
2 C. fresh cilantro leaves
1 T. coarsely chopped walnuts
1 T. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. water
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Pizza:
4 1/2 C. coarsely chopped portobello mushrooms (about 10 oz.)
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 C. thinly sliced red onion
3/4 C. (3 oz.) shredded fontina cheese

To prepare crust, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in a large bowl, and let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring C., and level with a knife. Add 1 1/4 C. flour and 1/4 tsp. salt to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of the remaining flour, 1 T. at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky). Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85), free from drafts, for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch the dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface. Place dough on a 12-inch pizza pan or baking sheetsprinkled with cornmeal. Crimp edges of dough with fingers to form a rim. Cover and let rise 10 minutes or until puffy. Preheat oven to 450. To prepare pesto, place cilantro and next 5 ingredients (cilantro through 1/2 tsp. salt) in a food processor, and process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. To prepare the pizza, heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms; cook 5 minutes or until moisture evaporates, stirring constantly. Add the vinegar, and cook until liquid evaporates. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Spoon the mushroom mixture onto pizza crust. Drop pesto by tsp.fuls onto pizza crust. Top with onion, and sprinkle with fontina. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: 1 wedge

Calories: 233
Fat: 7.7g
Fiber: 3.3g

Low Fat Turkey Pizza

Low Fat Turkey Pizza

Beer Crust:

3 cups Self-rising flour
4 T. sugar
12 oz. Beer

Dust a large (16″), non-stick deep-dish pizza pan with corn meal. Mix crust ingredients until it forms a dough, spread over pan and pre-bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Sauce:

1 large (24 oz.) can of crushed tomatoes
1 can (16 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (10 oz.) tomato paste
basil, oregano, garlic power, minced onions (to taste)

Heat crushed tomatoes, spices and sauce over low heat slowly. Do not boil.

Toppings:

1 bag (8 oz.) Healthy Choice shredded mozzarella
1 bag (8 oz.) Healthy Choice shredded cheedar
1 pound Ground turkey meat, browned in non-stick skillet
1 can (8 oz.) Mushrooms pieces & stems
1/2 large white onion, diced
2 med. green peppers (1 diced, 1 sliced into rings)
several T. of non-fat grated parmesan

Add about 1/2 sauce to browned turkey and cook awhile longer. Coat the pre-baked crust with a layer of the sauce, some parmesan and mozzarella. Add meat/sauce to crust. Layer onions, mushrooms, and diced green pepper. Add more cheeses and sauce. Place rings of green peppers on top and sprinkle with mozarella. Drop a T. of tomato paste into each pepper ring. Bake at 275-300 degrees for about an hour until cheese is melted and tomato paste begins to darken at the edges.

Serves 6 – 8.

Spicy Sausage Pizza

Spicy Sausage Pizza

1/2 lb. hot Italian sausage
1 ready-to-use thin-crust Italian pizza bread shell (10 oz.)
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
3/4 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
2 T. grated Parmesan
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 sweet green pepper, thinly sliced
2 oz. reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 3/4 C.)
Fresh basil, for garnish

Place oven rack in lowest position. Heat oven to 425. Coat 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray. Cook sausage in nonstick skillet over medium heat 10 minutes. Remove; let cool. Slice in thin rounds. Place crust on prepared pan. Spread with tomato sauce. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and Parmesan. Arrange sausage, onion and sweet peppers over sauce. Sprinkle Jack cheese over pizza, leaving a 1- to 2-inch border around edge. Bake on lowest rack in 425 oven 10 minutes to heat through. Garnish.

Yield: 6 servings
Calories: 245
Fat: 10g
Fiber: 2g

Sweet Onion and Gorgonzola Pizza

Sweet Onion and Gorgonzola Pizza

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil (approx)

2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced

1/4 C. granulated sugar

1/4 C. balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 prepared pizza crust (12 inches/30 cm)

2 T. pine nuts

4 tsp. chopped fresh sage

8 oz gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

 

In large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes or until starting to turn golden.  Add sugar and vinegar; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until almost no liquid remains. Remove from heat; stir in salt. Let cool. Place pizza crust on baking sheet; brush with remaining oil. Spread onions over top; sprinkle with pine nuts, sage and cheese. Bake in 400°F (200°C) oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

 

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

 

California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Pizza Copycat

California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Pizza Copycat

Make crust one day before you plan to make the pizza.

bbq-chicken-pizza-recipe-taste-and-tell1

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water (105 – 115F)
¾ teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup bread flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon olive oil

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half, cut into bite-sized pieces
½ cup Bullseye Original BBQ Sauce
1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
1 cup shredded Mozzarella
½ cup grated Gouda cheese (preferably smoked)
½ cup sliced red onion
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine water, yeast and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes, until the yeast starts to foam. Add flour, salt and olive oil and mix until dough comes together. Knead 10 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover and let rise for 2 hours. Place in refrigerator overnight. Remove dough from refrigerator one to two hours before making pizza, allowing it to come to room temperature.

Place chicken in a bowl with 1/4 cup BBQ sauce. Cover and let marinate for 2 hours. Place pizza stone in oven and preheat oven to 450F for 30 minutes. Sauté chicken over medium heat until cooked through and no longer pink, 7-8 minutes. Set aside. Sprinkle countertop with cornmeal and roll out pizza dough into a circle 10-inches in diameter. Spread remaining 1/4 cup BBQ sauce on dough. Sprinkle half mozzarella cheese and gouda over BBQ sauce. Top with chicken, red onion and remaining mozzarella. Transfer pizza to oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Top with cilantro.

Deep-Dish Skillet Pizza

Deep-Dish Skillet Pizza

5a22dd8350a582ff4fe32340bdbb7bbd1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
1 to 2 15-oz. jars pizza sauce
1/2 lb. ground pork sausage, browned and drained
5-oz. pkg. sliced pepperoni
1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
1/2 c. green pepper, sliced
Italian seasoning to taste
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

Generously grease a large cast-iron skillet. Press thawed dough into the bottom and up the sides of skillet. Spread desired amount of pizza sauce over dough. Add favorite toppings, ending with cheeses on top. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Carefully remove skillet from oven. Let stand several minutes; pizza will finish baking in the skillet. Cut into wedges to serve.

Sullivan Street Potato Pizza

Sullivan Street Potato Pizza

06-28-09 Bread 16For two 13 x 9-inch pans, or one half-sheet pan

3/4 C. plus 2 T. (130 grams) unbleached bread flour
3/4 C. plus 2 T. (130 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. instant yeast
1 1/4 cups (285 grams) lukewarm water
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
Extra-virgin olive oil.

Mix the flours and yeast in a mixing bowl. Using the paddle attachment, add water on low speed until the batter comes together. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 20-25 minutes until it cleans the bowl and comes together. (If it hasn’t started to come together in 20 minutes, add a few pinches more flour). The dough should still be quite wet. Add sugar and salt and mix for another 2-3 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise about 4 hours. Coat the baking pan or pans with olive oil. Pour the dough directly into the pan. With hands coated with olive oil, press the dough into a thin layer. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes, and then finish pressing it into the whole pan. It will be quite thin. Cover and let rise for another hour. Meanwhile, slice 7 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled (about 4 lb.) into thin slices. Toss them with salt and let them exude moisture for about 15 minutes. Squeeze them dry in a colander to release more of their liquid. Toss them with a thinly sliced onion and about 2 T. chopped fresh rosemary. About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 C) and put one rack on the oven’s top shelf. If using two pans, put another rack on the lower third. After the dough is proofed, spread on the potato topping. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with more salt. Bake until the potatoes are brown at the edges and easily pierced with the tip of a knife, about 40 minutes.

Asparagus, Spring Cream, Onion, Lemon Pizza

Asparagus, Spring Cream, Onion, Lemon Pizza

Asparagus, Spring Cream, Onion, Lemon Pizza

 

1 ball of dough (about 1-pound/304 g)

⅔ cup (165 ml) Spring Cream (recipe below)

3 ounces (85 g) fresh mozzarella, pinched into small chunks

2 cups (220 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella (the kinds that come in bags)

About 2 cups (270 g) chopped fresh asparagus

Fine sea salt

3 T. grated hard cheese

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon wedge

2 T. chopped fresh chives

 

Place your stone on the lowest shelf of your oven, then turn your oven to its highest temperature. Most ovens go to 500°F (260°C) and some to 550°F (287°C). Heat your stone for at least one hour before baking. If you’re taking your dough out of the fridge, give it about 15 minutes or so to warm up a bit so it will be easier to work with. It should have doubled in size in the fridge. If it hasn’t, let it sit at room temperature, covered with a slightly damp towel, until it does. Lightly flour your counter and your hands. Flip the dough into the flour bowl so the top side of the dough ball gets dusted first. Flip it once more, making sure that the dough is completely coated. Press the dough down into the flour, then pick it up and place it on the floured countertop. Pressing your fingers firmly into the dough, start by flattening the center and work your way out toward the edge to make it wider, until it’s about 7 to 9 inches (17 to 23 cm) wide. Pushing down on the dough will release some of the gas and actually begin opening up the dough. Be careful not to disturb the outermost lip. This will eventually become your crust. The next step is a bit tricky. Your goal is to take this disc of dough and carefully stretch it to about 14 to 16 inches (35.5 to 40.5 cm) without tearing it or creating a hole. I pick it up with floured hands and begin to gently stretch it over my fists, letting gravity do most of the work. Once you’ve stretched it enough, put the dough back on the counter, making sure there is a generous dusting of flour underneath. Take a few generous pinches of semolina flour and dust your pizza peel. Make sure it’s coated evenly. Gently lift and transfer your dough to the peel. Make sure both your hands and the peel are well-floured. You are now ready to dress your pie. Cover the dough with the spring cream, then add the mozzarellas. Now I like to add a very liberal amount of asparagus. Season with salt. Transfer to the oven and bake for 4 minutes. The crust will rise significantly. Then change the oven setting from bake to broil, cooking the pizza from the top down until the crust begins to blister. The residual heat of the stone will continue to cook the bottom. (If your broiler is at the bottom of your oven, skip this step and continue to bake the pizza as described.) I cook all my pizzas until they’re well done, which could take up to 10 minutes total (sometimes less). Just keep checking so you don’t burn it. Look for the cheese to color and the crust to turn deep brown. It may blacken in spots, and that’s okay. Finish with the grated hard cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, a spritz of fresh lemon juice from the wedge, and the chives.

 

Spring Cream

 

1 handful of basil (10 to 20 leaves)

½ cup (25 g) chopped fresh fennel fronds

½ cup (25 g) chopped fresh chives

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 large clove garlic, pressed or minced

Fat pinch of red pepper flakes

4 cups (960 ml) heavy cream

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black

pepper to taste

 

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor. Blend until slightly emulsified. It will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

Rhubarb and Pancetta Pizza

Rhubarb and Pancetta Pizza

Rhubarb and Pancetta Pizza

 

1 whole Pizza Crust (homemade Or Purchased)

2 tsp. Olive Oil

3 ounces, weight Diced Pancetta (or Thick Cut Bacon)

1 cup Diced Red Onion

1-½ cup Rhubarb, Peeled And Diced

1 cup Chopped Red Apple

2 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, Minced

½ cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

2 T. Walnuts, Very Finely Chopped

 

Prepare your favorite pizza crust dough. I like a deep dish whole wheat, but any type will work. The listed prep time includes the time needed for homemade dough to rise, but store-bought dough will work just as well. While the dough is rising, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook until it begins to turn a golden brown, about five minutes. (If you don’t like pancetta or you don’t have it on hand, you can substitute diced thick cut bacon.) Drain excess fat from the pan and then add red onion. Cook until the onion is translucent, about three minutes. Add rhubarb, apple and rosemary to the mixture and cook until the fruit is just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. I don’t peel the apple, but you can if you must. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 450ºF. Prepare a pizza pan and roll or press out your dough. Spread the pancetta/fruit mixture directly onto the dough. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the mixture. Don’t go overboard with the cheese! (This isn’t that kind of pizza.) Finally, sprinkle the finely chopped walnuts evenly over the cheese. Bake the pizza for 15 minutes, or until the crust is cooked and the cheese is golden brown.

Roasted Mushroom Cream Pizza Sauce

Roasted Mushroom Cream Pizza Sauce

Roasted Mushroom Cream Pizza Sauce

 

2 (8-ounce / 225-g) containers button mushrooms (make sure they’re clean, dudes— dust any dirt off with a paper towel)

3 T. extra-virgin olive oil

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped

1 medium red onion, roughly chopped

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream

 

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Toss the mushrooms with the olive oil, a couple of fat pinches of salt, and five turns on your pepper grinder. Spread them out on a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until they lose their water and wrinkle a bit. Place the mushrooms with their juices, rosemary, onion, and cream in a food processor or blender. Purée until there are no big chunks or pieces, but don’t go too far or you’ll have butter. It should be smooth and spreadable. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. This will keep in fridge about 5 days

Best Pizza Dough, Period

Best Pizza Dough, Period

Best Pizza Dough, Period

 

Makes two 1-pound (454-gram) balls

(each makes a proper 16-inch 140.5-cm pie)

 

Important note while making dough: Turn your phone off and don’t speak; it’s a great time to listen, it’s a great time for new ideas, it’s not busy, you are present, and you are somewhere else. Making dough should be a calming, meditative process and a great time to think of new ideas about pizza, or about life in general.

 

114 cups (355 g) cool water

2 tsp. sugar

About 14 tsp. active dry yeast

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

314 cups (500 g) all-purpose or bread flour

1 T. + 14 tsp. fine sea salt

 

Pizza is bread. It’s really simple and a little complicated at the same time. Dough takes planning to develop good flavor, and if you do it right you’ll thank me later. You can make dough with a sourdough starter, but I’ve found that a nice, slow fermentation is more consistent and the results are always perfect. Sourdough can be unpredictable. Find yourself a nice all-purpose or bread flour. I use organic flour, but regular King Arthur will do fine. Traditionally, four ingredients are used in making dough (flour, water, salt, and yeast), but we’re adding sugar to help with fermentation and a little oil to relax and fatten the dough. It took me a couple of years to come up with this process, which produces a dough with excellent flavor, a crispy exterior, and a chewy interior. These measurements are in metric, as traditional Italian recipes always are. This is how I initially learned how to do it. They are more exact, which is vital in baking.