Monday 2 September 2013

Pioneer Woman's Favourite Pizza

When someone who cooks like the Pioneer Woman says this is her favourite pizza recipe, I had to try it since it's that good! 


The dough for the pizza base should be made at 24 hours before baking and a few days if possible. I didn't have the luxury of time to wait for a few days so I only let the dough sit for 24 hours. The dough was a perfect balance of crispness and chewiness. I served it for a dinner party and all my friends said that this pizza base is great!


I used a combination of egg plants, yellow zucchini and cherry tomatoes for the pizza, topped with Mozarella cheese and topped fresh basil before serving. This pizza base would certainly work well with any type of toppings.


Pioneer Woman's Favourite Pizza (Serves 8)
Recipe from Pioneer Woman  

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST (MAKES TWO CRUSTS):
  • 1 teaspoon Active Dry Or Instant Yeast
  • 4 cups All-purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
FOR THE PIZZA:
  • 1 whole Large Eggplant (or Two Medium Eggplants)
  • 1 yellow Zucchini (my own addition)
  • Kosher Salt, For Sprinkling
  • 1 pint Grape Tomatoes
  • 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 226 g, weight Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Sliced Very Thin
  • 1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil For Drizzling
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Preparation Instructions

TO MAKE THE CRUST:
  • Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.
  • In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.
  • Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it. ***It's best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.
TO MAKE THE VEGETABLES TOPPING:
  • Preheat oven broiler.
  • Slice the eggplant thinly. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and place into a strainer in the sink. Allow to sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse eggplant lightly in cold water, then pat the slices dry between layers of paper towels.
  • Slice grape tomatoes in half lengthwise and toss into a bowl with minced garlic.
  • Slice mozzarella very thinly.
  • Cut eggplant slices into fourths, and toss with olive oil. Cut Zucchini into thin slices and toss with a little olive oil. Arrange on a baking sheet and place 8 inches under the broiler.
  • Broil for 3 minutes, then toss around and broil another 3 minutes. Remove pan from oven and add tomato/garlic mixture. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove and set aside. (May do this 1 hour in advance.)
TO ASSEMBLE PIZZA
  • Preheat oven to 500 degrees (I baked at 200 degrees C)
  • Drizzle olive oil on a large baking sheet and use fingers to coat thoroughly. Remove HALF the pizza dough from the bowl. Stretch pizza dough into a large rectangle, pressing with fingers to finish forming. Dough will be very thin.
  • Lightly drizzle a little olive oil on the dough and use fingers to spread. Lay mozzarella slices over the surface of the dough. Spread vegetables all over the surface of the cheese. Top with Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from pan and slice with a pizza cutter. Serve immediately!
This is for Cook Like A Star hosted by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out and Mich of Piece of Cake


This is for our Aspiring Bakers #35: A Palate for Pizza (September 2013) hosted by Joey of Little Accidents in the Kitchen.

36 comments:

  1. Hi Mich, your pizza look so delightful. Love the topping ingredients, very inviting. :)

    Wish I can have a slice now for my tea break.
    Have a nice day.

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  2. Mich, I love pizza. Your pizza looks so yummy. Would like to have a slice for tea break too :)

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  3. Mich, I wish I could have a slice of your pizza!

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  4. Loving those colors in the topping!

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  5. Hi Mich,
    That is one delicious looking pizza, looks so good. I like the veggie topping, yum!

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  6. Your pizza looks delicious. I love the toppings that youhaxe on it. I have never made a pizza dough that had to rest for 24 hours, I will have to try this one.

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  7. ivy sew http://simplybeautifulhealthyliving.blogspot.com2 September 2013 at 21:07

    Hi Mich, just can't resist the yummy topping. Great!

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  8. Oh Mich, I need a piece of your pizza now. Made 2 batches of mooncakes & updated my blog, that's why I need your pizza to reboot my energy. Good night!

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  9. Hi Mich, Your pizza is so colourful. And healthy! Gonna try this.

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  10. We recently started to dvr Pioneer woman. We have made 3 of her recipes!! Everything has been so good!! Simple, delicious and really no fuss recipes...

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  11. My mouth is watering!
    I don't want a slice of this delicious pizza, I want the whole pizza!!

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  12. Hi Mich,

    I reckon that 24 hour should be more than enough to develop the flavours in your pizza dough. This vegetarian pizza topping combination sounds wonderful!

    Zoe

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  13. Mich this pizza look awesome and delicious!! I would love try this!

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  14. Pizza is my 3rd son's favorite food, he could eat this for 3 meals a day! I like the soft fluffy base of your pizza, will try my next pizza making session using this recipe:D Thanks for sharing.

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  15. what a nice and tasty pizza you have.

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  16. Mich, this prizza looks colourful and i wish to try on the crispy pizza too :)

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  17. The dough looks so perfectly made! A proper pizza and the topping is just fantastic!

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  18. I would love to try this pizza base. Yours look so good and healthy with vegetable topping.

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  19. Hello Mich! I'm hosting Aspiring Bakers this month and the theme is pizza. This post of yours fits right in! Would you like to take part in it? Here's the link to the details and we really appreciate it :)

    http://littleaccidentsinthekitchen.blogspot.sg/2013/09/aspiring-bakers-35-palate-for-pizza.html

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  20. Hi Mich, PW has so many "best" recipes, it's so hard to choose from them all! Your pizza looks mighty inviting. ;)

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  21. A fantastic pizza! I love the veggie topping a lot.

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  22. How beautiful is that. Great dinner!

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  23. Beautiful pizza Mich, I especially like the fresh veggies on it...what a delicious meal.
    Have a great week ahead :D

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  24. This pizza looks so fresh and delicious :D

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  25. This looks so good! I love the Pioneer Woman so I'm sure this is a winner. I hope you have a beautiful week!

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  26. Hi Mich,
    My second is craving for pizza this morning. He have been asking mummy for pizza since yesterday.
    Your pizza look beautifully delicious ;p I am going to make this for him today..:D
    Thanks for sharing!!

    mui

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  27. Your pizza looks yummy. Can I have a slice?

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  28. Mich , that looks delicious ! Yeah , I really need to make homemade pizza soon :D

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  29. i love how colourful it is, now you make me want to have some pizza too!

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  30. Thi veggies pizza make me not feeling guilty to craving for it....
    well done my friend!
    i think a pinch of szechuan peppercorn will make it perfect for my licking!

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  31. I love a good homemade pizza. Looks delicious!

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  32. Love the colorful toppings which makes the pizza really appetizing! Such a beautiful summer pizza - I love it!

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  33. Mich, when you say that this is PW's fav and I've seen how tantalising yours looks, I'm truly convinced that this pizza is going to be smashing! I will definitely try out this pizza recipe :)

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  34. i now need to eat a piece of cake and 3 "pieces" of pizza :D

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