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.

Homemade Pizza With Mozzarella, Cherry Tomatoes And Pesto

There is nothing more satisfying than serving freshly baked pizzas at home, made from scratch with wholesome and healthy ingredients - my kids love pizzas and I'd rather make an effort to do this at home than feed them those from fast food outlets. 

Pizzas with the regular tomato base gets rather boring at times and this simple pesto pizza from Curtis Stone is a refreshing change from the usual. 

Pesto made from fresh basil leaves, pine Parmesan cheese nuts and form the base of this pizza which is the topped with roasted cherry tomatoes, loads of cheese and more basil leaves. The pizza is aromatic from the use of herbs and so delicious!

Homemade pizza with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and pesto (Serves 4)

A Curtis Stone Recipe

Roasted tomatoes:

• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pesto:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 bunches fresh basil leaves (about 1 1/2 cups lightly packed)
• 1/3 c. pine nuts, toasted
• 1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pizzas:

• all-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 recipe for Chewy Pizza Crust (I used this half quantity of this pizza dough recipe)
• 6 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
• 4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c. fresh basil leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

To roast tomatoes:

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C - but I baked at around 220 degrees C). Lay tomatoes on a stainless steel or non-aluminum baking sheet and drizzle lightly with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes in oven until they are tender and begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

To make pesto:

• Using a Bump and Grind or another large mortar and pestle, smash garlic into a coarse puree. Add basil and pound until it is coarsely chopped. Add pine nuts and smash to break them up. Mix in Parmesan cheese. Slowly mix in olive oil. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

To prepare pizzas:

• Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees F (I baked at 220 degrees C). Prepare 1 recipe for Chewy Pizza Crust and divide dough in half. Using half the dough, form a thin, irregularly-shaped disk that is about 10 inches in diameter. Place on a heavy baking sheet.
• Spread 1/4 cup of pesto sauce in a thin layer over pizza dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge. Arrange half of roasted tomatoes over pizza. Tear mozzarella into long stringy pieces and scatter half of them over pizza. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese over pizza.
• Bake pizza for about 12 minutes or until bottom is crisp and deep golden brown and cheese has melted and becomes pale golden on top.
• Slide pizza off of baking sheet and onto a cutting board. Scatter half of basil leaves over pizza. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using a pizza wheel or large sharp knife, cut pizza into pieces and serve. Repeat to make a second pizza.

This post is linked to Cook Like A Star, where this month's featured chef is Curtis Stone, an event organized by Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids together with co-hosts, Baby Sumo from Eat Your Heart Out and Grace from Life Can Be Simple.

No Knead Pizza: Strawberry Balsamic Chicken with Cilantro/Spinach Feta & Pine Nuts

I’ve always thought that proper kneading is what makes a good loaf of bread. But this “no-knead” pizza dough recipe by Jim Lahey – the owner of New York’s Sullivan Street Bakery and pizza spot Co, defies conventional bread-making rules, yet produces a pizza base that is crispy, chewy and bubbly at the same time.

This brilliant no-knead method is a perfect for lazy bakers like me who’d rather not undertake any form of laborious kneading. The only catch is that one needs patience and to plan ahead – the dough has to ferment overnight for a full 18 hours in order to achieve the desired texture. Like what many others who have tried it, I’d say that this pizza is definitely worth the while.

I used the pizza dough to make two delicious pizzas: Strawberry Balsamic Chicken with Cilantro as well as a vegetarian version of Spinach Feta and Pine Nuts. The pizzas flew off the dining table and my kids ate up all the edges because they loved how crispy and chewy it was.

No Knead Pizza (Makes 4 10-inch pizzas)
Recipe adapted from here

Ingredients

• 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (1000 grams) plus more for shaping dough
• 4 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp honey (optional)

Method

• Whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add 3 cups water; stir until well incorporated. Mix dough gently with your hands to bring it together and form into a rough ball. (Dough will be sticky, add more flour  if necessary).
• Transfer to a large clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature (about 72°F) in a draft-free area until surface is covered with tiny bubbles and dough has more than doubled in size, about 18 hours (time will vary depending on the temperature in the room).
• Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Gently shape into a rough rectangle. (Dough will be sticky, use more flour to help form the dough into a ball) Divide into 4 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time, gather 4 corners to center to create 4 folds. Turn seam side down and mold gently into a ball. Dust dough with flour; set aside on work surface or a floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions.
• Let dough rest, covered with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, until soft and pliable, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap each dough ball separately in plastic wrap and chill. Unwrap and let rest at room temperature on a lightly floured work surface, covered with plastic wrap, for 2–3 hours before shaping.
• During the last hour of dough’s resting, prepare oven: preheat oven to its hottest setting, 500°F–550°F, for 1 hour (I baked at 240°C).
• Working with 1 dough ball at a time, dust dough generously with flour and place on a oiled and floured baking pan. Gently shape dough by stretching and pushing till it reaches the edge of the pan.
• Top with desired toppings. Bake pizza until bottom of crust is crisp and top is blistered, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a work surface to slice. Repeat with remaining pizzas

Pizza Filling: Strawberry Balsamic Chicken with Cilantro (10-12 inch pizza)
Recipe adapted from Lena at Her Frozen Wings

After reading Lena’s blog post, I knew I had to try it sometime. The sauce base made of jam, balsamic vinegar and chilli sauce creates a sweet yet slightly tangy flavour for the pizza. I could not find Sriracha Chilli Sauce, so I substituted with a Korean spicy vinegared paste. The amount of paste/chilli used is very little and my kids did not find it spicy at all. Topped with fresh strawberries and crunch cilantro, this chicken and bacon pizza is really superb! Definitely much better than what I have eaten in pizza restaurants. This recipe is something I would make over and over again.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup strawberry jam (I used half apricot, half strawberry jam)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Sriracha Chilli Sauce (I used Korean spicy vinegared paste)
• 1 cup diced and pan-fried chicken breast or leftover roasted chicken
• 1/2 cup applewood smoked bacon, cut in 1 inch pieces, cooked and drained
• 1/2 cup thin sliced sweet onion
• 12 oz shredded Italian blend cheese (I used shredded cheddar)
• 1/4cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh strawberries, diced small

Method

• Place balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan, bring to boil and reduce heat, simmer for 4-5 minutes or until reduced to half of the original amount and mixture is thick and syrupy. Add strawberry jam and chilli sauce and mix well, set aside to cool.
• Roll out pizza dough on your pizza pan.
• Combine chicken with 2 tbsps of the balsamic strawberry mixture and mix to coat all chicken with sauce. Pour rest of the sauce onto pizza dough and spread to cover. Leave a 1″ border around the edge and scatter chicken over the sauce.
• Place about 3/4 of the cheese on top of the dough, spread to cover sauce evenly, scatter bacon and onion over cheese to distribute evenly. Scatter remaining cheese.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 240°C for approximately 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown.
• Remove from oven, let it cool slightly and sprinkle with diced strawberries and fresh cilantro before serving.

Pizza Filling: Spinach, Feta and Pine Nuts (10 inch pizza)
Recipe adapted from Gimesomeoven

A simple vegetarian combination of fresh baby spinach, feta cheese, pine nuts and onions give this pizza a delicious mix of textures and flavours.

 Ingredients

• A handful of fresh spinach, washed and drained
• 120 g of feta cheese, crumbled
• 30 g pine nuts
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil (I used some sun-dried tomato pesto sauce)
• 1 Tbsp. fresh basil, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 small red onion, diced

Method

• Brush dough lightly with olive oil (I brushed with sun-dried tomato pesto) and sprinkle ingredients evenly over the pizza base.
• Bake at 240°C for about 10-15 minutes till edges are browned. Cool down slightly before cutting into pieces for serving.