tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33497331838781389572024-02-21T03:00:59.960-05:00Pizza Your FaceA handful of tasty ingredients, a superior crust recipe, one greasy pizza stone and a couple of big appetites. Our recipe for pizza-making success.MLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05418778470495288794noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-58795365827378078292012-12-21T16:33:00.000-05:002012-12-21T16:34:09.316-05:00Gumbo PizzaThis is an admittedly complicated pizza recipe, but well worth the time and effort to make. A couple of times a year, we make a huge pot of gumbo, stirring and simmering for hours until all of the flavors have mingled and melded. Here, we've broken down our favorite Louisianan recipe into a pizza-ready version. <br />
<br />
The first ingredient in any gumbo is the roux: browned flour and oil that serves as the foundation for the rich stock of okra, seafood and andouille sausage.<br />
<b><br />PREP:</b><br />
Heat 1/4 cup canola oil and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly for 15-20 minutes until it browns to a nice nutty color. Then stir in 1/4 cup chopped onion, another 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper and 1 clove of chopped garlic and continue cooking until the onion is soft.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4GpaL6hQ3UIFH7HnhRqpn0S2-iQJnAL-oy3ZjS24X8hluvgL97_T3ku0G5AAFXhhqC1CQDPwIY0qkd2pSltSEpC4DaemNSoWzVobLsRHUdd76PoNbHFBjwsRpP7mEa315bcynS1j9ek/s1600/IMG_9166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4GpaL6hQ3UIFH7HnhRqpn0S2-iQJnAL-oy3ZjS24X8hluvgL97_T3ku0G5AAFXhhqC1CQDPwIY0qkd2pSltSEpC4DaemNSoWzVobLsRHUdd76PoNbHFBjwsRpP7mEa315bcynS1j9ek/s200/IMG_9166.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaTZAXCEIfdDE4868POMtjiFKhuBaXvio69zeBa-X81XY7PRlJ9hbw53Yitryg3XcCw1tsx3e8i2AAHfZhXYa5SVFIb28Uh6TWuxSBUkaHtQwCKV4U2eVeY121i8qiyUOZozD-4hIbfs/s1600/IMG_9176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaTZAXCEIfdDE4868POMtjiFKhuBaXvio69zeBa-X81XY7PRlJ9hbw53Yitryg3XcCw1tsx3e8i2AAHfZhXYa5SVFIb28Uh6TWuxSBUkaHtQwCKV4U2eVeY121i8qiyUOZozD-4hIbfs/s200/IMG_9176.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRAzT52ckNrctqguVtQ00KhBfhlg6yN5AXVW4J4ciCRUgUYnr5cP8f4Pzk4gJZDYzqCHxsJn0JJUiyTy4I0cXZLRhqi_mjVrkS5efflNDKLwHgJmetraBOb0HaDUuIoAL_aD_EqqN1lY/s1600/IMG_9180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRAzT52ckNrctqguVtQ00KhBfhlg6yN5AXVW4J4ciCRUgUYnr5cP8f4Pzk4gJZDYzqCHxsJn0JJUiyTy4I0cXZLRhqi_mjVrkS5efflNDKLwHgJmetraBOb0HaDUuIoAL_aD_EqqN1lY/s200/IMG_9180.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCjFhBiN3t0X9hXh4Wj6EtD1obT4EyFVhxonXa2p7t-if-pHhR7U8NcGp7gz1sdC3MbIfojtQvEO7fbv1hbFABkPB15mb_cu32ru3_PUS9oz_xGQ4NDQ0IPsKubqqequzPo-Km50yTOE/s1600/IMG_9184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCjFhBiN3t0X9hXh4Wj6EtD1obT4EyFVhxonXa2p7t-if-pHhR7U8NcGp7gz1sdC3MbIfojtQvEO7fbv1hbFABkPB15mb_cu32ru3_PUS9oz_xGQ4NDQ0IPsKubqqequzPo-Km50yTOE/s200/IMG_9184.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
While that's going on, measure 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup chopped okra (frozen is fine, but thaw it first), 1 tablespoon chopped scallions, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 crumbled bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and a dash each of ground allspice, mace and cloves. Stir all of those ingredients into the pan with the onions and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring regularly.<br />
<br />
Since we're not dedicating hours to cooking down the stock, we then used an immersion blender to make a nice smooth sauce.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPo9hmosocA6JGPLavGF1eklXcaHGmPCdnuPvtUmoDBWcimOHCO9-av6Y5GvFw7IJWzpQtl0JGMdchQpR-qW7DuCRvIo1aslheH0v2dVejy_dSut91ri4Yy3mVJMHy1QpP_-pX3Mbv8EQ/s1600/IMG_9177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPo9hmosocA6JGPLavGF1eklXcaHGmPCdnuPvtUmoDBWcimOHCO9-av6Y5GvFw7IJWzpQtl0JGMdchQpR-qW7DuCRvIo1aslheH0v2dVejy_dSut91ri4Yy3mVJMHy1QpP_-pX3Mbv8EQ/s400/IMG_9177.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order):<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/02/crust_22.html">Very Best Pizza Crust Ever</a>, par-baked</li>
<li>A generous spread of the onion-okra sauce </li>
<li>Thinly sliced andouille sausage (Do yourself a favor and don't substitute any other kinds of smoked sausages; the andouille adds such a distinctive flavor.)</li>
<li>More chopped okra</li>
<li>Grated mozzarella cheese</li>
<li>Raw shrimp, butterflied and/or sliced in half down the middle</li>
<li>Cooked chicken, chopped</li>
</ol>
<br />
Bake at 450 degrees F for about 11 minutes until the shrimp are pink. Serve topped with a splash of Louisiana-style hot sauce, such as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Hot-Sauce-Louisianas-Pure/dp/B0005ZHPFI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355087809&sr=8-1&keywords=crystal+hot+sauce" target="_blank">Crystal</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPdPQO8nAN2ECzHNO1QkV5lozi-AFJHIQL49Uv2HbWQbqLL___y3Z0GOD4DmqWArhzGQmzEFNn8BDcwXIJH-tu5gneG84StsA1K0dR99Gmox7JLYiSVdjJrcP3jxF9D2kJkJJBdtEvkM/s1600/IMG_9196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPdPQO8nAN2ECzHNO1QkV5lozi-AFJHIQL49Uv2HbWQbqLL___y3Z0GOD4DmqWArhzGQmzEFNn8BDcwXIJH-tu5gneG84StsA1K0dR99Gmox7JLYiSVdjJrcP3jxF9D2kJkJJBdtEvkM/s400/IMG_9196.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50Ef5yQc5GwqyLA29xsMNrKVQl7djZ9c093mTCuZKAI7DS7G9dMknvRw3xoP4PwpbH9MwPDV9UZfcpFbd7l0MrQ3O7hhLu8-XykVWPtzdXHMS7YoWVKUNsXeWl2SlWtK4YExf_YOTB3Q/s1600/IMG_9201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50Ef5yQc5GwqyLA29xsMNrKVQl7djZ9c093mTCuZKAI7DS7G9dMknvRw3xoP4PwpbH9MwPDV9UZfcpFbd7l0MrQ3O7hhLu8-XykVWPtzdXHMS7YoWVKUNsXeWl2SlWtK4YExf_YOTB3Q/s400/IMG_9201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-232679841017348872012-12-09T15:28:00.001-05:002012-12-09T16:19:42.381-05:00Latke PizzaHappy Hanukkah! Maybe you're already eating your fill of latkes, but it seems like prime time to experiment with how everyone's favorite potato pancakes might work in pizza-form.<br />
<br />
<b>PREP:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Chop a medium onion and saute in 2 tablespoons of oil over low heat until nicely browning.</li>
<li>Peel 2-3 baking potatoes and use a food processor or box grater to shred them into thin strips. Add to the pan with the onions and a healthy pinch of salt and saute until the potatoes are cooked and starting to crisp around the edges. Stir often to prevent sticking.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHReuFPjPKFJMMPKVk2GyeuS1aHbNA0wBIlc_3yweGPF7srP0pdxiFOaOajrFeSFsa1vgofcsDA0fQkuJnH4dcHKqHwlZsdNiGKhfHhLd_FM5j-zLSgFuIV4qdl4IHQAcIeAmWU8OfA8/s1600/IMG_9047-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHReuFPjPKFJMMPKVk2GyeuS1aHbNA0wBIlc_3yweGPF7srP0pdxiFOaOajrFeSFsa1vgofcsDA0fQkuJnH4dcHKqHwlZsdNiGKhfHhLd_FM5j-zLSgFuIV4qdl4IHQAcIeAmWU8OfA8/s400/IMG_9047-web.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhih1pRgCDRxQfFzpv36taR9DYLxz7I-sfVTp-FPNrJqAztpXnDjyDxh9e-9ZCWInpwep4F0I532d1fTudbwp8M2-r7P8TQxoXJAxEhdPZgiNr57_kYUoG3hH38xE8H4QNDkX2lUQW1PQ/s1600/IMG_9051-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhih1pRgCDRxQfFzpv36taR9DYLxz7I-sfVTp-FPNrJqAztpXnDjyDxh9e-9ZCWInpwep4F0I532d1fTudbwp8M2-r7P8TQxoXJAxEhdPZgiNr57_kYUoG3hH38xE8H4QNDkX2lUQW1PQ/s400/IMG_9051-web.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS </b>(layered in this order):<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/06/simple-crust.html">Simple Crust</a>, par-baked</li>
<li>
A generous spread of unsweetened apple sauce</li>
<li>The potato-onion mixture</li>
<li>A small amount of grated mozzarella</li>
</ol>
<ul>
</ul>
<br />
Bake at 450 degrees F for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the potatoes look a little browner. Sprinkle the top with chopped chives or scallion tops and dollop with sour cream and additional apple sauce.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnCLshlHeauex-M8KGuWPYpt2l-1BdR4BQabTFCIceLCDLNyPmFoK0_vSIy9bB6-S4sKd9VsQvbQc_ktcAsmsO6NJ3VnTQmrnyl0IEuGpdgkYc9jNnNWp8wArmcNb-n3j6ROh4ufzlcg/s1600/IMG_9065-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnCLshlHeauex-M8KGuWPYpt2l-1BdR4BQabTFCIceLCDLNyPmFoK0_vSIy9bB6-S4sKd9VsQvbQc_ktcAsmsO6NJ3VnTQmrnyl0IEuGpdgkYc9jNnNWp8wArmcNb-n3j6ROh4ufzlcg/s400/IMG_9065-web.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-22221488048641411892012-12-03T16:31:00.000-05:002012-12-21T16:32:20.613-05:00Fig Pizza UpdateJust repeated our <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2012/09/fig-pizza.html">Fig Pizza</a>, but this time added a balsamic reduction. Perfection.<br />
<br />
To make the reduction, pour 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for several minutes until the liquid has thickened and evaporated out. It's best to do this right before you're ready to use it, otherwise it gets very sticky as it cools.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireaQPgcT9s-sxVUG6TOZInoGMlY9M4C8eVFz_ScK_xfxslH2rBOyVWxJCuxx09_Ali4jsDnrbhUfb_hywy8aUG8CDrD_Q0TOHVG1kXHwnISogbTZxEomZVyCwAt-O2ilBcTkU2HOu6rA/s1600/IMG_9193-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireaQPgcT9s-sxVUG6TOZInoGMlY9M4C8eVFz_ScK_xfxslH2rBOyVWxJCuxx09_Ali4jsDnrbhUfb_hywy8aUG8CDrD_Q0TOHVG1kXHwnISogbTZxEomZVyCwAt-O2ilBcTkU2HOu6rA/s400/IMG_9193-web.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-3214974401377167232012-11-03T15:10:00.000-04:002012-12-09T15:10:49.113-05:00Kids' PizzasPizza is the perfect way to get kids involved in cooking. Give them an apron and space to use the rolling pin, and let them have at a small ball of dough! We like to set out small bowls with a variety of kid-friendly toppings — such as tomato sauce, pepperoni, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, grated cheese — and give them free reign to pick their own toppings. With younger children, adult hands are helpful to make sure the toppings get somewhat evenly distributed, but older kids enjoy the chance to do their own thing. Leaving the adults to their own pizza indulgence...<br />
<br />
Here, our friends' 3-year-old shows off some mad pizza-making skills. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38QDMpsyUyQgb-r-ineQa5E5aFZsmqgRi1LLwzaC9_ockzCzXewnOrnD6qjfqVpjjqM_BNodeipRgNYTtiOKDiqY0kA3Msm5FapKU8T6rjOc44BSNlB9CB9_lEl8PPwAlR9ITSzfN5_4/s1600/IMG_9056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38QDMpsyUyQgb-r-ineQa5E5aFZsmqgRi1LLwzaC9_ockzCzXewnOrnD6qjfqVpjjqM_BNodeipRgNYTtiOKDiqY0kA3Msm5FapKU8T6rjOc44BSNlB9CB9_lEl8PPwAlR9ITSzfN5_4/s400/IMG_9056.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTK1B4AAlqqXklguk7jiKHeT-7xVZLrORF9uKRzVbwB3RAKJRwf1B5S7xKirFn4i3zl5YWMSkYK4ANMwDebDTiEqb_LrVWH3NZAa_5aP_hNeT95up9ig1vQxSEYM2HdxqY_L6YYoPnpk/s1600/IMG_9063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTK1B4AAlqqXklguk7jiKHeT-7xVZLrORF9uKRzVbwB3RAKJRwf1B5S7xKirFn4i3zl5YWMSkYK4ANMwDebDTiEqb_LrVWH3NZAa_5aP_hNeT95up9ig1vQxSEYM2HdxqY_L6YYoPnpk/s400/IMG_9063.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-49411271376379643112012-10-20T15:00:00.000-04:002012-12-09T16:19:57.160-05:00Guatemalan Black Bean PizzaI spent a semester in college studying Spanish in Guatemala. Black beans and hand-pressed tortillas are THE two staple foods, eaten for three meals a day by many people across the country. My favorite preparation of black beans is called "licuados" — a thick paste perfect with eggs or sauteed veggies or ... really anything. We happened to have some leftover chicken around, which made for the perfect Guatemalan-themed pizza.<br />
<br />
<b>PREP:</b><br />
Chop a small onion and saute until soft and translucent, but not browned. In a blender, process the sauteed onions, 2 cups cooked black beans and 1 garlic clove. Add water or some reserved bean liquid to make a smooth, thick, saucy consistency.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVTOpv7OP3l3KFQZidBPGBmu0PN4iiTQRjMXti2TOz5WjYyBOoos3Q_00HDjzRzgEzmnaQPVchGt-FptxyiAz7kKuFOFwUo8EH1AxH_Y-63RKAIwVU6QTJDz0xibVpY-k4-pETiUggU4/s1600/IMG_9045-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVTOpv7OP3l3KFQZidBPGBmu0PN4iiTQRjMXti2TOz5WjYyBOoos3Q_00HDjzRzgEzmnaQPVchGt-FptxyiAz7kKuFOFwUo8EH1AxH_Y-63RKAIwVU6QTJDz0xibVpY-k4-pETiUggU4/s400/IMG_9045-web.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order):<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2012/12/corn-masa-crust.html">Corn Masa Crust</a>, par-baked</li>
<li>
A generous spread of the liquified beans</li>
<li>Queso fresco, grated or chopped into tiny chunks (queso fresco is a white farm cheese available at Hispanic markets and many mainstream grocery stores) </li>
<li>Grated mozzarella</li>
<li>Cooked, chopped chicken breast</li>
<li>Sprinkle of chopped cilantro</li>
</ol>
<ul>
</ul>
<br />
Bake at 450 degrees F for about 8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the crust begins to brown. ¡Buen provecho!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSH7xbi3mcAsZA_2ElAUa7YtauzNYhVYWTaixQISQQkAnBBf2pbEFUxQtUlXvsshMeptW1WkoYapd03ysCTjx2MAmxvA-mkeQYXcSig6JTIZAPtL-1x08Ke6UcQfrfF3tM5G7gms5oFA/s1600/IMG_9068-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSH7xbi3mcAsZA_2ElAUa7YtauzNYhVYWTaixQISQQkAnBBf2pbEFUxQtUlXvsshMeptW1WkoYapd03ysCTjx2MAmxvA-mkeQYXcSig6JTIZAPtL-1x08Ke6UcQfrfF3tM5G7gms5oFA/s400/IMG_9068-web.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-3399563747615713872012-10-18T14:38:00.000-04:002012-12-09T14:46:55.710-05:00Corn Masa Crust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1GgG355A5fznVNH8opmbGExZH2U4E43_CVqh0O_7CYUzEjd3oPDCkCHdg2y4-wt0Ao8UmV5AsvLbSWKYlx6IgEVpgrf4sWe1XJJSwNLLpuAstfl2dPQ796NNEwn_XhWcakPoGIEGgsU/s1600/IMG_9038-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1GgG355A5fznVNH8opmbGExZH2U4E43_CVqh0O_7CYUzEjd3oPDCkCHdg2y4-wt0Ao8UmV5AsvLbSWKYlx6IgEVpgrf4sWe1XJJSwNLLpuAstfl2dPQ796NNEwn_XhWcakPoGIEGgsU/s200/IMG_9038-web.jpg" width="138" /></a></div>
As avid Latin American food-eaters (we seek out the best Mexican taco trucks in whatever city we visit), we were pretty excited to run across a corn masa pizza crust recipe in our newly acquired "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Artisan-Pizza-Flatbread-Five-Minutes/dp/0312649940/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355080816&sr=8-1&keywords=artisan+pizza+and+flatbread+hertzberg" target="_blank">Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day</a>" cookbook.<br />
<br />
Corn masa is the flour used to make tortillas, tamales, arepas, etc. — it's the staple ingredient for all sorts of our favorite foods. In this pizza dough, the masa adds a slight corn flavor and denser texture that is perfect for topping with beans, seasoned meats, and a sprinkle of queso fresco.<br />
<br />
<b>INGREDIENTS:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 cup lukewarm water (100 degrees F or less)</li>
<li>1 teaspoon active dry yeast</li>
<li>1 teaspoon sugar</li>
<li>2 teaspoons neutral-flavored oil</li>
<li>1/2 cup corn masa flour (also called masa harina)</li>
<li>1 and 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1 teaspoon salt</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>DIRECTIONS:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes.</li>
<li>In a separate bowl, mix the masa flour, all-purpose flour and salt.</li>
<li>Once the yeast is proofed (aka frothy), stir in the oil and mix in the dry ingredients without kneading the dough. This can be done in a food processor with a dough attachment, a heavy duty stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or using a wooden spoon. It may help to wet your hands and mix in the last bits of flour manually.</li>
<li>Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and allow to rest at room temperature for about 2 hours, until the dough rises and collapses (aka flattens on the top).</li>
<li>The dough can be used right away after that initial rise, but it may be easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate it in a lidded, but not airtight, container and use within 10 days or divide it into two balls and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before use.</li>
<li>When you're ready to make pizza, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. If using a pizza stone, place the stone in the oven for preheating. If using a baking sheet, lightly flour it (but don’t preheat). </li>
<li>On a well-floured surface, roll out one ball of dough until it is approximately the size of your pizza stone or baking sheet. </li>
<li>Par-bake the crust until barely brown and rigid, about 3 minutes.</li>
<li>Remove the crust from the oven and let rest on wire racks to avoid sogginess. Top with your favorite toppings and return to the oven for an additional 5-10 minute (depending on toppings), until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden brown.</li>
</ol>
Recipe yields 2 crusts.<br />
<br />
This crust is vegan and I suspect would be pretty easy to make gluten-free by subbing out the all-purpose flour with your favorite blend. pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-72950661284203930422012-09-18T22:30:00.002-04:002012-12-09T15:38:12.961-05:00Fig PizzaKicking off a new season of pizza-making with a bang!<br />
<br />
This is actually an old favorite by now, but with figs currently in season, it's prime time to try it again. In these pictures from April (*hanging head in procrastinator shame*), we used dried mission figs, but fresh ones are delightful as well.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC11wfSNsjJRwjYM_ldqaWl41X6T2l0E4f3r3tfQxZWaeo-q3l4hvyp-1tokv3IyT3E4HE38RtrvIhp4WyOZ4jVzlG1f7tGUSE9sa-cz-mzf5AK5lXSrPMij5F7ipr6RGuK9Ak0Q_5apc/s1600/fig1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC11wfSNsjJRwjYM_ldqaWl41X6T2l0E4f3r3tfQxZWaeo-q3l4hvyp-1tokv3IyT3E4HE38RtrvIhp4WyOZ4jVzlG1f7tGUSE9sa-cz-mzf5AK5lXSrPMij5F7ipr6RGuK9Ak0Q_5apc/s400/fig1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order):<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/04/whole-wheat-crust.html" target="">Whole wheat crust</a>, par-baked with chopped fresh rosemary pressed into the surface before baking</li>
<li>Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil</li>
<li>Grated mozzarella</li>
<li>Crumbled gorgonzola </li>
<li>Thinly sliced shallots </li>
<li>Sliced figs - lots of them</li>
<li>Thinly sliced pears (Bosc are nice) </li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWFuRhss4m81PvR_x730-PZfcsUMGqu_fstnxn6kpvJtUBqoPmHtTPMrSZi4cBVz83ej7VtreXLPkw6gfhuXGoH4wWgZv6G9Zjgb6IG0snXJ_gZJo8aqXz7MAjHJ5zDaiYIMjf6nJMik/s1600/fig2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWFuRhss4m81PvR_x730-PZfcsUMGqu_fstnxn6kpvJtUBqoPmHtTPMrSZi4cBVz83ej7VtreXLPkw6gfhuXGoH4wWgZv6G9Zjgb6IG0snXJ_gZJo8aqXz7MAjHJ5zDaiYIMjf6nJMik/s400/fig2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Slide that pizza back into the oven at 425 degrees F and bake for about 10 minutes, until the pears soften and the cheese browns slightly. Top with freshly grated Parmesan and another flourish of extra-virgin olive oil.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXVl70KLhSnijVvopSg60RXEuu3UZHYOj-YBbjByktatUP22DvVU0biBi0600gNKa5J0sug0sQFaZtY82qv3O6c1c95KYFkqfSsxy87L0GvJRs90sBg7vN-HEDvfB2SCjzd0jbfCTzxY/s1600/fig3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXVl70KLhSnijVvopSg60RXEuu3UZHYOj-YBbjByktatUP22DvVU0biBi0600gNKa5J0sug0sQFaZtY82qv3O6c1c95KYFkqfSsxy87L0GvJRs90sBg7vN-HEDvfB2SCjzd0jbfCTzxY/s400/fig3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIGxOcVPTznTJ9K1GroN0mPqd6FLQ_3DsLbLajCLPj5l7HF-lJEW6wgPhhhlVSpPskwvLUfTrTbu0ZFTztxaddvU4VpotTWmQxWIvWrNzZOAPml_AqyiCYTyX9UVXELSY7VPASyKu-cg/s1600/fig4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIGxOcVPTznTJ9K1GroN0mPqd6FLQ_3DsLbLajCLPj5l7HF-lJEW6wgPhhhlVSpPskwvLUfTrTbu0ZFTztxaddvU4VpotTWmQxWIvWrNzZOAPml_AqyiCYTyX9UVXELSY7VPASyKu-cg/s400/fig4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-4965001872098718222012-03-31T11:25:00.000-04:002012-12-09T15:33:23.691-05:00Baked Potato PizzaAs if pizza weren't comfort food enough...<br />
<br />
Baked Potato Pizza is the perfect rainy Saturday afternoon pizza, when you're ready for a lazy, heavy meal, a cold beer and quality time with your sofa cushions. You can bake the potatoes solely for the pizza, or use leftovers from another meal. Either way, don't plan to move anywhere for a few hours after dinner.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TeVqW3-L-DU0uwRlxXrBmDs3upzK1kbAmKX-IndDc74TW8zMN8lvOZ4hS9RyJ1qWUvQQLDPTgvp8w_CgOBVPE1ux9Q7GwSF5_KLYUWC0P-bfn6bKj4tuX_wmEQwQODdpIb-dq3mByOE/s1600/IMG_7286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TeVqW3-L-DU0uwRlxXrBmDs3upzK1kbAmKX-IndDc74TW8zMN8lvOZ4hS9RyJ1qWUvQQLDPTgvp8w_CgOBVPE1ux9Q7GwSF5_KLYUWC0P-bfn6bKj4tuX_wmEQwQODdpIb-dq3mByOE/s320/IMG_7286.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>PREP:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Wash 2-3 large russet potatoes (skin on!), wrap in tin foil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. OR, shortcut version, puncture the potatoes a few times with a fork and microwave them (without tin foil!) on high for about 10 minutes or until soft inside. Either way, allow the potatoes to cool a bit, then chop them into small cubes and toss them with a mixture of Italian herbs (we like Mrs. Dash's salt-free version).</li>
<li>(Optional) Pre-cook 2 slices of bacon in a heavy skillet until they just start to get crispy.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order):<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/02/crust_22.html" target="_blank">Very Best Pizza Crust Ever</a>, par-baked</li>
<li>A few dollops of sour cream, spread very thinly over the crust</li>
<li>The cooked potato cubes, tossed with Italian seasoning</li>
<li>A handful or two of chopped chives</li>
<li>(Optional) The bacon, chopped into small bits</li>
<li>A healthy dose of grated mozzarella cheese (for gooeyness) mixed with a sharp cheddar cheese (for flavor)</li>
</ol>
Bake on a pizza stone at 450 degrees F for about 8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the crust begins to brown. Sit back and put your feet up.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTCiDjKcoL9kOs8KXr6YVmKRzevQGYLGurBHTgme2tDICaTZ9zgVHg5osW4M-5RzlScNMVl0omNvQoSuefvQpF_97cA7N6GFAXJMPMpK7hZBMaL6sceuGjr2GO6j4xpb9HxJkJ0jyfUo/s1600/IMG_7305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTCiDjKcoL9kOs8KXr6YVmKRzevQGYLGurBHTgme2tDICaTZ9zgVHg5osW4M-5RzlScNMVl0omNvQoSuefvQpF_97cA7N6GFAXJMPMpK7hZBMaL6sceuGjr2GO6j4xpb9HxJkJ0jyfUo/s320/IMG_7305.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_osGmWZ9KCckEaW-sU8s4fuXGcGL6aa3STJwKGY2MgrGBYRTIGphRrxWPJlAKQhBHUFhIRnd1ctMFGDOVTLpBKtSnB1fC7VG6L2M5mrJT7rsUtRsYzXVzMHpWg7TlmoStY-w9bWki0gA/s1600/IMG_7308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_osGmWZ9KCckEaW-sU8s4fuXGcGL6aa3STJwKGY2MgrGBYRTIGphRrxWPJlAKQhBHUFhIRnd1ctMFGDOVTLpBKtSnB1fC7VG6L2M5mrJT7rsUtRsYzXVzMHpWg7TlmoStY-w9bWki0gA/s320/IMG_7308.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-33281554320844929122012-03-23T18:05:00.001-04:002012-12-09T15:38:22.952-05:00White Pizza with Roasted CauliflowerFor those of you who follow us regularly, it won't come as any surprise that we don't always make pizzas with red sauce. In fact, more often than not, we opt for some sort of alternative to a tomato-based spread. In spite of that adventuresome spirit, we haven't legitimately explored the White Pizza in all its glory. <br />
<br />
Without scientific data to back up this claim, it seems like many white pizzas are topped with vegetables, while many red pizzas tend to involve meat. However, the density of high-fat dairy products on white pizzas (i.e. Alfredo sauce + too much cheese) probably makes them much less healthier than their crimson counterparts.<br />
<br />
Enter Pizza Your Face.<br />
<br />
We [pretend to] eat health-consciously and we eat a lot of pizza. So it stands to reason that we would look for a way to bring you a white pizza with a little bit nutritional value.<br />
<br />
Enter the roasted cauliflower.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl99jy82iEhr04rl0S5osADbWEzYffzpPo-gG4s9GPHOPCqsEA4DHiLZKNHgc8gA79B8iDnZ9BKk_OWSKXJZMhW4vr6mBXRSbanTxiKQPLptzyGXtXprML8VzeMyhLTpbqoJUIdZvJaAw/s1600/IMG_7346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl99jy82iEhr04rl0S5osADbWEzYffzpPo-gG4s9GPHOPCqsEA4DHiLZKNHgc8gA79B8iDnZ9BKk_OWSKXJZMhW4vr6mBXRSbanTxiKQPLptzyGXtXprML8VzeMyhLTpbqoJUIdZvJaAw/s320/IMG_7346.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizB6qmjap0lEthL6VJJzz2FjeMTPHXx2PS7h4CzhoPWg5dIAFbEaXTZkXvibl72uOrxF26Jk1s-VPJ7gdberzhwcD8D8EFMy0GatFa-nEfiwIApLUSRTx974LJ7FgescIDToo3UO6QYEY/s1600/IMG_7351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizB6qmjap0lEthL6VJJzz2FjeMTPHXx2PS7h4CzhoPWg5dIAFbEaXTZkXvibl72uOrxF26Jk1s-VPJ7gdberzhwcD8D8EFMy0GatFa-nEfiwIApLUSRTx974LJ7FgescIDToo3UO6QYEY/s320/IMG_7351.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Lookie here at all these <a href="http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2391/2" target="_blank">great nutrients</a>. And then start munching because you'll feel totally indulgent when you taste the cauliflower.<br />
<br />
<b>ROASTED CAULIFLOWER & GARLIC:</b><br />
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F with the <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/03/most-important-accessory.html">pizza stone</a> in the oven. Cut apart a whole head of cauliflower (maybe 2?) into large florets and give them a good rinse. Cut the florets into 1/4-inch slices. Mix a pinch of salt into about 4 tablespoons of olive oil and toss the cauliflower with the oil. Roast them on the pizza stone for about 30 minutes total, turning every 10 minutes, until they are very brown and caramelized. They will shrink a lot. Cool them on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.<br />
<br />
For the last 8-10 minutes, throw in 4 whole garlic cloves, also tossed in olive oil, and roast them until the outsides start to brown and the insides are soft. <br />
<br />
Keep the cauliflower away from your significant other, because otherwise the entire batch will disappear in about 5 minutes...<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>GARLICKY WHITE SAUCE:</b><br />
Melt 1.5 tablespoons of butter* in a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow it to get bubbly and start to brown. Once the foaminess starts to die down, stir in 1.5 tablespoons of flour and heat for 1 minute. Slowly add 3/4 cup of milk (room temperature is better than cold), then a pinch of salt and a dash of cayenne powder, and whisk non-stop for 5-8 minutes until the mixture boils and thickens. Throw in the roasted garlic cloves and blend until smooth.<br />
<br />
*Yes, use real butter. A minor amount of fat makes it all worthwhile. <br />
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order):<br />
To avoid making the crust soggy, be sure you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go up front.<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/04/whole-wheat-crust.html">Whole wheat crust</a>, par-baked</li>
<li>Spread of the white sauce</li>
<li>Grated mozzarella and Parmesan - just enough to help the toppings stick, but don't go gooey on this one</li>
<li>Lots of roasted cauliflower</li>
<li>Thinly sliced shallots</li>
</ol>
Pop it all back in the oven at 425 degrees F for about 8 minutes. Top with freshly ground black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a little extra grated Parmesan.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdhnnROjC4cscTHj3_-C1sptb5H-CxHo3jE30QC0jcLhQUWWi1xqXDPNAPYZeLD3HBsUjxhMmGywJaSFy9GwGfKx66EESLvDGsry0TnGyrrqbzyMpD6ria4vDYhJmIfaJMZ6ZuRDZg6c/s1600/IMG_7363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdhnnROjC4cscTHj3_-C1sptb5H-CxHo3jE30QC0jcLhQUWWi1xqXDPNAPYZeLD3HBsUjxhMmGywJaSFy9GwGfKx66EESLvDGsry0TnGyrrqbzyMpD6ria4vDYhJmIfaJMZ6ZuRDZg6c/s320/IMG_7363.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1Xw5EUBDIyhnAQlITHWdFES4pEcQa0o1_iY8xlp3Jx1IMY2drmQZYAvy2R5msDrLY_c9fuWtdlDibx2yVmGMCLay6APShcCSFYk18GIDLDfLhQWcE8Ubu8KEhcVTA6Jq0n3JGV0v97s/s1600/IMG_7367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1Xw5EUBDIyhnAQlITHWdFES4pEcQa0o1_iY8xlp3Jx1IMY2drmQZYAvy2R5msDrLY_c9fuWtdlDibx2yVmGMCLay6APShcCSFYk18GIDLDfLhQWcE8Ubu8KEhcVTA6Jq0n3JGV0v97s/s320/IMG_7367.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm salivating again just thinking about it.pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-8514861909628629752012-03-22T21:36:00.002-04:002012-12-09T14:00:30.722-05:00Wooden Pizza CutterCheck out this cool gadget some friends gave us:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYcghi6H-rp6dseDHlafVfQhajOMDaG4P9AHjP9piL6xTRs16ReKB6HowPfpqB1IEgIgmVn_zdirlQDImu-Nqm-_rC5nmqvY9lj8Q0QGw1-TbEsKzPKjpsYPv09csIiF7IEVUZAzKLaVM/s1600/IMG_7407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYcghi6H-rp6dseDHlafVfQhajOMDaG4P9AHjP9piL6xTRs16ReKB6HowPfpqB1IEgIgmVn_zdirlQDImu-Nqm-_rC5nmqvY9lj8Q0QGw1-TbEsKzPKjpsYPv09csIiF7IEVUZAzKLaVM/s320/IMG_7407.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
It's a wooden pizza cutter! Makes it possible for pizza-cutting-challenged individuals like myself to slice across the entire pizza in one straight line. Wild.pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-89085121585103638752012-03-22T21:07:00.000-04:002012-12-09T15:33:31.855-05:00Reuben PizzaA belated St. Paddy's Day to ya. Don't bother putting on your green T-shirt or testing your Irish brogue, but you might want to dig out that leftover corned beef from the back of your fridge. And turn the boiled cabbage into sauerkraut...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MPuO2ocDhhMyPc1F5afxAqNldB0QJK6ls4TC5sID0-yOwUAbsRsYrqsKY2ti2qLf5M7wY5c1Q8A_BHrCfxBk79rwIjhpt49kP6nuVs9ek11cADU_0NH4fF7EZYA1wRGcq2LVRGywevc/s1600/IMG_7372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MPuO2ocDhhMyPc1F5afxAqNldB0QJK6ls4TC5sID0-yOwUAbsRsYrqsKY2ti2qLf5M7wY5c1Q8A_BHrCfxBk79rwIjhpt49kP6nuVs9ek11cADU_0NH4fF7EZYA1wRGcq2LVRGywevc/s320/IMG_7372.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It appears there are conflicting accounts about the <a href="http://www.rowlandweb.com/reuben/history.asp" target="_blank">history of the Reuben sandwich</a>. It was either created by a Lithuanian man living in Nebraska or by a German man living in New York, both, naturally, with Reuben as part of their name.<br />
<br />
Reuben pizza also appears to be a well-established recipe, so we make no claims of ownership, other than that we did throw it together off the top of our heads and we have some ideas for how we'd improve it next time. On the "throw it together" side, it ended up being an unusually processed meal for us:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxKjV6Docf3qakPYggPLSCfilyRQne_ZsrQ-RGuYcyMdUu1iWux5k1XeQg_wB6Rh2i7jeTJfuflsCL42s4RfzQ7id91wop2EBMeBXCyX0_rgUlkxeXBJjz8ghqyG8EZdb-91ruMGR56Y/s1600/IMG_7390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxKjV6Docf3qakPYggPLSCfilyRQne_ZsrQ-RGuYcyMdUu1iWux5k1XeQg_wB6Rh2i7jeTJfuflsCL42s4RfzQ7id91wop2EBMeBXCyX0_rgUlkxeXBJjz8ghqyG8EZdb-91ruMGR56Y/s320/IMG_7390.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
To "improve it next time" we would come up with a decent quick sauerkraut recipe and make our own Russian dressing. We also thought our pizza could have used more of almost
all of the toppings. So be generous, while also keeping in mind that
over-loaded pizzas are hard to maneuver and prone to sogginess.<br />
<br />
Nonetheless it was tasty. Here's how it went:<br />
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order):<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/02/crust_22.html" target="_blank">Very Best Pizza Crust Ever</a> - Before the par-baking step, stretch out the dough as usual and sprinkle a healthy dose of caraway seeds over the surface. We gently pressed them in with a rolling pin to keep them from running away. Then continue with the par-baking. </li>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqoXRjh19luydNHlMv8FOpRLLWMODHJU8ZvNwTzQwG4bEAeTLYtIWTc8PE06w8Aq6sQfXd_gCe5INWSOVvXyw_OBakqBjuCvrGrx3Fcq7LQWIxbgmWLBwKNufHOeD8kWIXo3Bm8dK6Sa4/s1600/IMG_7392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqoXRjh19luydNHlMv8FOpRLLWMODHJU8ZvNwTzQwG4bEAeTLYtIWTc8PE06w8Aq6sQfXd_gCe5INWSOVvXyw_OBakqBjuCvrGrx3Fcq7LQWIxbgmWLBwKNufHOeD8kWIXo3Bm8dK6Sa4/s320/IMG_7392.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<li>Generous spread of Russian dressing</li>
<li>Grated Swiss cheese of a nice sharp variety</li>
<li>A handful of grated mozzarella for meltedness</li>
<li>Dollops of sauerkraut</li>
<li>Slices of corned beef</li>
</ol>
Bake at 450 degrees F for 7-8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the crust edges start to brown.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLr8toMNUour4p7NlYsTyawAplUxaVdqlqisgcdcrzc9-1uKpCF2rEyMYsXNpib0UDVewcFaMBbB4gJ9o_HFpVaxrDlFUCuE7PyQrdN9liVcNNm2zlw-eSn79cb6a-v4YNTppfslJPHuc/s1600/IMG_7411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLr8toMNUour4p7NlYsTyawAplUxaVdqlqisgcdcrzc9-1uKpCF2rEyMYsXNpib0UDVewcFaMBbB4gJ9o_HFpVaxrDlFUCuE7PyQrdN9liVcNNm2zlw-eSn79cb6a-v4YNTppfslJPHuc/s320/IMG_7411.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<ol>
</ol>
pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-82040163988819328222012-01-24T18:33:00.000-05:002012-12-09T15:33:55.552-05:00Mini PizzasOooh, take a look at this!<br />
<br />
Look here:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjDAcvysA1ZMX-EXdmC_KnF4irHYO1NH3vlRiQDB3KP2Or3CwE5Y8SD2V37p3DbZ3T71t4-IOndVwRt1b9OsOnJMImGMgp4gFiQveHbSyMmNzq91MutoR0Vd8Q0iqRxzyB6U1y8UYmpk/s1600/20120114+mini+pizzas+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjDAcvysA1ZMX-EXdmC_KnF4irHYO1NH3vlRiQDB3KP2Or3CwE5Y8SD2V37p3DbZ3T71t4-IOndVwRt1b9OsOnJMImGMgp4gFiQveHbSyMmNzq91MutoR0Vd8Q0iqRxzyB6U1y8UYmpk/s400/20120114+mini+pizzas+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
And here:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEgO74JLEP2daSMuGHGsZP6itxovaY6ACqhjqBWzlK7k-c0NsrsseSuJ7EcJlMVMHuM0woj5peNig54x2IKnONEY4bVBj9yiJPGfLzVHuh77TyAEqHWTldTaZQpA7cLzGe5lF9HnvIq8/s1600/20120114+mini+pizzas+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEgO74JLEP2daSMuGHGsZP6itxovaY6ACqhjqBWzlK7k-c0NsrsseSuJ7EcJlMVMHuM0woj5peNig54x2IKnONEY4bVBj9yiJPGfLzVHuh77TyAEqHWTldTaZQpA7cLzGe5lF9HnvIq8/s400/20120114+mini+pizzas+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Those are mini <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/05/lively-pizza.html" target="_blank">Lively Pizzas</a>, made by yours truly for ML's birthday party the other week. Super fun! And fairly painless!<br />
<br />
Just divide your dough into about 30 balls instead of 3. ML made the dough the day before the party, divided it into mini balls and stored them in the refrigerator, layered in a pizza box with parchment paper in between. Party-day morning, he rolled them out and par-baked them. Then just before the party I threw some toppings on, popped them in the oven 8 or 9 at a time (using a cookie sheet instead of the pizza stone for convenience) and ended up with super fun party food. Took a little bit longer than making ordinary-sized pizzas, but they were easier to munch on while playing pin-the-flag-on-the-treasure-map. (Pirate-dinosaur theme, you know...)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAg9GaukXueipAe_bPnUECeBm6AIoIy2Z-7OBkCZFfOSODOnIMwGpoC-XBYxL98ehtmnIe-Fgy-pjTVlRocQmWVlkiqflcT7jPpp7dVwtAmNMV7rm8BDn7nRU_BhnpvoSVvqvuAmPqC1c/s1600/IMG_7236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAg9GaukXueipAe_bPnUECeBm6AIoIy2Z-7OBkCZFfOSODOnIMwGpoC-XBYxL98ehtmnIe-Fgy-pjTVlRocQmWVlkiqflcT7jPpp7dVwtAmNMV7rm8BDn7nRU_BhnpvoSVvqvuAmPqC1c/s200/IMG_7236.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0Philadelphia, PA39.952335 -75.16378939.1745115 -76.4272165 40.730158499999995 -73.900361499999988tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-57826373556889540832012-01-23T21:41:00.001-05:002012-12-09T15:34:40.997-05:00Brussels Sprout PizzaReasons why 2 and 1/2 months have passed since our last pizza post:<br />
<ol>
<li>We got married in November</li>
<li>I started a new job in November</li>
<li>There was the usual sequence of holidays and holiday-related chaos</li>
<li>We had a lot of leftovers to wade through after said holidays</li>
<li>ML had a very significant birthday (starts with 4, ends with 0), accompanied by a significant party in January</li>
<li>We're sort of intimidated by our own <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/11/bacon-jam-pizza.html" target="_blank">Bacon Jam Pizza</a> recipe</li>
</ol>
I know, I know ... what kinds of silly reasons are those? What sorts of pizza enthusiasts let such mundane excuses get in the way of pizza-making?!<br />
<br />
Sigh.<br />
<br />
We're ashamed.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, we re-commenced our pizza-making endeavors with great success. We may even have overcome our fears from #6. Because in addition to these...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-UUcMbqUmslsH8assNKFnTB6os8VRQX9OS_nc5pd3FI6XE1LwDaspkITVWk8HdxzKNv5E8fBmrf-78UPWbXbz7MLlo1gnLpoP5bG7xbYMTMwqSzx6pThUJRsz8yqXl4jOF20UvmYqMw/s1600/IMG_7191-square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-UUcMbqUmslsH8assNKFnTB6os8VRQX9OS_nc5pd3FI6XE1LwDaspkITVWk8HdxzKNv5E8fBmrf-78UPWbXbz7MLlo1gnLpoP5bG7xbYMTMwqSzx6pThUJRsz8yqXl4jOF20UvmYqMw/s320/IMG_7191-square.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
...you also get all of these:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQtqZXVSzr80TaaeR2zgAKZnjQxrpIYyGTeqwSiIR5scDyTA9KrvvOx7zmtaJfVLNrjApgKFK8qdHNxxvxy7FGvsE_WMIAx47vRATPHOHSbEXb4Sn7guNFeNE12oiG0UHgdU44JDVx0Q/s1600/IMG_7145-square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQtqZXVSzr80TaaeR2zgAKZnjQxrpIYyGTeqwSiIR5scDyTA9KrvvOx7zmtaJfVLNrjApgKFK8qdHNxxvxy7FGvsE_WMIAx47vRATPHOHSbEXb4Sn7guNFeNE12oiG0UHgdU44JDVx0Q/s320/IMG_7145-square.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzuUJjDP2qkCWhQF6Y4RGXFfC2gNmgCRpsCqKWD3xOf1UtbVbk_MX205PT0S3gtIi_mWoNn10SeC5Lhcw_klXUPUYGGbWZKg2ZlsG33yMAuPBQC5vCuw6vLI5zHAIr7xRrKai3BLcqJQ/s1600/IMG_7147-square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzuUJjDP2qkCWhQF6Y4RGXFfC2gNmgCRpsCqKWD3xOf1UtbVbk_MX205PT0S3gtIi_mWoNn10SeC5Lhcw_klXUPUYGGbWZKg2ZlsG33yMAuPBQC5vCuw6vLI5zHAIr7xRrKai3BLcqJQ/s320/IMG_7147-square.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJO6B8BlARHJ3DOUKgCXHTjRCfZ5EhDgqrVrpjbck-2t2xlj1fc1jUOzCLkHjLMOmEMS5fAO_uKtUm_GhkR4Hlk5_iV2IglNgEnvNqgmiGHcWJ0Ger8QfSUl89aSha6Xv68hrhKZYMoTk/s1600/IMG_7202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJO6B8BlARHJ3DOUKgCXHTjRCfZ5EhDgqrVrpjbck-2t2xlj1fc1jUOzCLkHjLMOmEMS5fAO_uKtUm_GhkR4Hlk5_iV2IglNgEnvNqgmiGHcWJ0Ger8QfSUl89aSha6Xv68hrhKZYMoTk/s320/IMG_7202.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLI2vMI3TWf69TROxjiqIrNTfCm3aHbmfscE37q-3GX33bWmPNPEvwJCgNt8xSPM3Sw5dGGF2tNxSXaNXLleJ-7Wd44ludiz9lJQueqoXOBSdZQXJuQvT8hLiIRBbbyMAwzBwyUovuZk0/s1600/IMG_7203-square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLI2vMI3TWf69TROxjiqIrNTfCm3aHbmfscE37q-3GX33bWmPNPEvwJCgNt8xSPM3Sw5dGGF2tNxSXaNXLleJ-7Wd44ludiz9lJQueqoXOBSdZQXJuQvT8hLiIRBbbyMAwzBwyUovuZk0/s320/IMG_7203-square.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
(Shout out to <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/brussels-sprouts-with-bacon-and-cheese-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">Alton Brown</a> for the flavor combo idea.)<br />
<br />
In defense of our pizza-making neglect, we made this one twice. The beta version needed some tweaking to get the right balance of flavors, so here's the final product. Be generous with the Brussels and apples and a little stingy with the blue cheese. Trust me, it evens out in the end.<br />
<br />
<b>PREP:</b><br />
<ol>
<li> If making your own dough or using store-bought raw dough, roll it out and par-bake it for about 3 minutes. (Curious why? Read our explanation <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/05/chorizo-jalapeno-pizza.html#comments" target="_blank">here</a>.)</li>
<li>Cook the bacon in a heavy skillet until it's almost-crispy-but-not-quite. Drain it on paper towels.</li>
</ol>
<b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order):<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/02/crust_22.html" target="_blank">Very Best Pizza Crust Ever</a>, par-baked</li>
<li> Thin spread of Dijon mustard - enough that the surface is slathered but not goopy</li>
<li>Tiny crumbles of blue cheese (something generic is fine) - just a small amount, it doesn't take much to get the flavor across</li>
<li>Grated mozzarella</li>
<li>Thinly sliced onions</li>
<li>Sliced Granny Smith or other tart apple</li>
<li>A generous amount of thinly sliced Brussels sprouts - they shrink a lot in the oven, so put on more than what looks reasonable</li>
<li>Chopped bits of bacon (optional; veggers, if you omit the bacon, add an extra sprinkle of salt)</li>
<li>Sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes </li>
</ol>
Bake that guy at 450 degrees F for about 10 minutes, or until the edges of the Brussels sprout leaves start to blacken. Drizzle it with extra virgin olive oil and overcome any residual childhood vegetable trauma.<br />
<br />
<i>Before:</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDHzSMGLqWo7gOPAq0sj0iDL0-t5h2vJnLyAtVTuj_gKIUmojwu9zPc0o3wvVq2SvzHjxkudeTNz4HBu0fT0Ypz7N2agFPZV-lzJ0J8hMK8jEtITifrgsw4erjx348sVcbyqGeVnPfY4/s1600/IMG_7210-square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDHzSMGLqWo7gOPAq0sj0iDL0-t5h2vJnLyAtVTuj_gKIUmojwu9zPc0o3wvVq2SvzHjxkudeTNz4HBu0fT0Ypz7N2agFPZV-lzJ0J8hMK8jEtITifrgsw4erjx348sVcbyqGeVnPfY4/s320/IMG_7210-square.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>After:</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzgfB0JyN_2o8kcYIln2A3lCSzYNOHmEMJ4COvh7PkM8pXuNpSAIVOXfW7gIFQ6qOGwZ5i-T_YA2JrVeTA96ylBrwHAhXzO0yRBLDDKEymrqSP_a5urvMHUj7u0tKCw_b1n4YNvaLfFI/s1600/IMG_7213-square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzgfB0JyN_2o8kcYIln2A3lCSzYNOHmEMJ4COvh7PkM8pXuNpSAIVOXfW7gIFQ6qOGwZ5i-T_YA2JrVeTA96ylBrwHAhXzO0yRBLDDKEymrqSP_a5urvMHUj7u0tKCw_b1n4YNvaLfFI/s320/IMG_7213-square.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>While eating:</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9LFy7SRpKURx2sILCJ0no8r8FqWcTJPLWKqwY96QryGXT3lIcxi36nKxxCf1S0tOcz0hdafCPlY4VoK0FvoCDf2lJ186ZGErVL7YhT5TXJK5F6LLIdCcniwqCbeYhMjkY8QF2ast4os/s1600/IMG_7214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9LFy7SRpKURx2sILCJ0no8r8FqWcTJPLWKqwY96QryGXT3lIcxi36nKxxCf1S0tOcz0hdafCPlY4VoK0FvoCDf2lJ186ZGErVL7YhT5TXJK5F6LLIdCcniwqCbeYhMjkY8QF2ast4os/s400/IMG_7214.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
(Skeptical about the sprouts? Let the <a href="http://producegeek.com/2012/01/eat-this-now-012312/#brusselssprouts" target="_blank">Produce Geek</a> himself tell you how great they are.)pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-2368857128377815602011-11-06T12:21:00.002-05:002012-12-09T15:34:50.294-05:00Bacon Jam PizzaOf the 20-some pizza recipes we have posted so far, I am by far the most proud of this one. It feels like a milestone, a turning point in our pizza-making from which we can grow to new great pizza heights.<br />
<br />
Either that or this is the absolute best pizza we're ever going to make and it's all downhill from here.<br />
<br />
Many of our pizzas begin with already established flavor combinations, which we then finagle onto a crust. The creativity lies more in figuring out how to make it work on a pizza, rather than in coming up with brand new topping pairings. This recipe, however, began with the mysterious and tantalizing words "bacon jam," followed by "what the heck goes with bacon jam?" And the most delicious discoveries emerged.<br />
<br />
The bacon jam recipe is courtesy of my friend <a href="http://tastyapril.tumblr.com/post/10323313654/no-seriously-bacon-jam" target="_blank">Tasty April</a>. At her Labor Day party this year, she brought out a small jar of chunky brown paste, assuring us it we would want to put this condiment on everything. She was right.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, my first effort at making bacon jam failed miserably, as the combination of my gas stove with no legitimate "low" setting and my over-zealous cast iron skillet completely scorched it. So I made a few minor modifications, including the use of a slow cooker, and attempt #2 was a rousing success. As April suggests, the uses of this miraculous substance are endless, so if you come up with any other exciting applications, we'd love to know.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRuRft-aXuZ6emFDQa2Q39vnzj61CpAzHl2cjvAjtrpZomXNH95avnIb_uIuHC17CU3M_5pntF9i8zelFW-IWTSvRuG7D0MnrcWBMF6OUbCTrGNaeNMRnq0kbqU7EweY2I6kTXoeF1bE/s1600/IMG_6722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRuRft-aXuZ6emFDQa2Q39vnzj61CpAzHl2cjvAjtrpZomXNH95avnIb_uIuHC17CU3M_5pntF9i8zelFW-IWTSvRuG7D0MnrcWBMF6OUbCTrGNaeNMRnq0kbqU7EweY2I6kTXoeF1bE/s400/IMG_6722.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>BACON JAM:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Chop 1 pound of thick-cut smoked bacon into 1-inch pieces and cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.</li>
<li>Allow the bacon fat to cool for a few minutes. Then add 1 large onion, sliced thin, and 5 minced garlic cloves and saute over medium-low heat until the onion is translucent.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, get out your slow cooker and put in the crisped bacon, 3/4 cup coffee, 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne. When the onions and garlic are done, add them as well, along with all of that bacon fat.</li>
<li>Simmer everything in the slow cooker on high, with the lid on, for 1 hour. Then turn it down to low and simmer for another 30 minutes. The bacon should be very soft and soggy, and there will be a lot of liquid left.</li>
<li>Turn off the slow cooker and allow the mixture to cool for 20-30 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chunky parts to the food processor and discard the excess liquids. </li>
<li>Pulse the mixture in the food processor until finely chopped, about 5 pulses, or until it's a consistency you like.</li>
<li>Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvjBqh9gB483aLeSIwpaVM8Kob0jqVYWeNWqJpSjUpILkNB8GBrC5WBPBiE6HuAAFARzfXQk8g9gIqN7seCMeQwy1EH6Nva_o8b5YffewrG6x_XkNGzYPC_xrC1526I2c2v_OQ5DiTK0/s1600/IMG_6813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvjBqh9gB483aLeSIwpaVM8Kob0jqVYWeNWqJpSjUpILkNB8GBrC5WBPBiE6HuAAFARzfXQk8g9gIqN7seCMeQwy1EH6Nva_o8b5YffewrG6x_XkNGzYPC_xrC1526I2c2v_OQ5DiTK0/s400/IMG_6813.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS:</b><br />
The pizza magic happens when you add just the right toppings to the bacon jam base. Layer the toppings in this order:<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/04/whole-wheat-crust.html">Whole wheat crust</a>, par-baked</li>
<li> Thin spread of bacon jam. You don't need much to have a very rich flavor. (Or to have super high cholesterol...)</li>
<li>Grated mozzarella, just enough to help the toppings stick</li>
<li>Crumbled Gorgonzola cheese</li>
<li>Thinly sliced pears</li>
<li>Sliced shallots</li>
</ol>
Bake at 450 degrees F for 7 minutes. Eat and eat and eat some more.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXHO9sdPujYpaGyUFjSHDOxW2lxVljpJ_kvPOm4ZSXLDoGmhJ-KW8tbtS1-o-GL6jKJckA7VbRc3UtpCvZf4UmyiAK3-oQVgRfrIQYZg3hLKxXmxbHPJQWS4SwHv_DBh4jkGrHLmM7Sc/s1600/IMG_6817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXHO9sdPujYpaGyUFjSHDOxW2lxVljpJ_kvPOm4ZSXLDoGmhJ-KW8tbtS1-o-GL6jKJckA7VbRc3UtpCvZf4UmyiAK3-oQVgRfrIQYZg3hLKxXmxbHPJQWS4SwHv_DBh4jkGrHLmM7Sc/s400/IMG_6817.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV15s33zfBiDvADCrSFQiTPv4J4lz4ACrE4sn-YULW65Zj1P6vtm5eGKaiHoehhLUAR1cZ3pjfvTe3lPgmBRsA7DiajHzsYlwL3oGvEuDCt0que44WAA7DDUEEo1Czqmru0lcDovbUM44/s1600/IMG_6828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV15s33zfBiDvADCrSFQiTPv4J4lz4ACrE4sn-YULW65Zj1P6vtm5eGKaiHoehhLUAR1cZ3pjfvTe3lPgmBRsA7DiajHzsYlwL3oGvEuDCt0que44WAA7DDUEEo1Czqmru0lcDovbUM44/s400/IMG_6828.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
We ended up making this pizza twice in one weekend because we couldn't believe how delicious it was!pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-2301650056696622482011-10-24T15:23:00.000-04:002012-12-09T15:38:33.617-05:00Nacho Pizza, revisitedOn a cold winter day nearly nine months ago, we first made the <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/01/pizza-that-started-it-all.html">nacho pizza</a> that inspired this blog. We were lazy, didn't want to go to the store, made a pizza with whatever we could find. It was awesome. Recently, we were reminiscing about that fortuitous discovery and revisited our dear nacho pizza recipe. With seasonal ingredients (and a little advance planning), it was quite possibly more delicious the second time around.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsoYc2Q4LTNQrGVNvNMGa_g9vQNN5gm3BxPthyMnzTyTNmwlOFwC_tmxh0Wps6Z3JEN6cCjadiyCQiXzHNnpZhTTTMe4Mtzl3Y_oBn51Nna9sHr-LOkz8krXrivzOhEDyZG9mtRP_RLk/s1600/nacho04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsoYc2Q4LTNQrGVNvNMGa_g9vQNN5gm3BxPthyMnzTyTNmwlOFwC_tmxh0Wps6Z3JEN6cCjadiyCQiXzHNnpZhTTTMe4Mtzl3Y_oBn51Nna9sHr-LOkz8krXrivzOhEDyZG9mtRP_RLk/s400/nacho04.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order):<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/02/crust_22.html">Very best pizza crust ever</a>, par-baked</li>
<li>Mix of grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses</li>
<li> Cooked black beans, tossed with taco seasoning (It's easy to make your own seasoning! Combine the following: 1 tablespoon chili powder; 1/4 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper, dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; 1 and 1/2 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper.)</li>
<li>Thinly sliced onions</li>
<li>Finely chopped fresh tomatoes</li>
<li>Chopped green bell peppers</li>
<li>Sliced jalapeños</li>
</ol>
Bake at 450 degrees for 7-8 minutes. Top with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro leaves.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwlo3wPG7OYZFsy65x74y44RNWK5bAN1mrtXqS-81ogxfJwvSQhl-3e91mcppL_5gO8OWKCAeuXvGOgKmmNuaXujyTmdKOaPUvKXTUUysx56VIgO1WxqBDSMGR9ZqF6TVB-SFg6VgEnc/s1600/nacho02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwlo3wPG7OYZFsy65x74y44RNWK5bAN1mrtXqS-81ogxfJwvSQhl-3e91mcppL_5gO8OWKCAeuXvGOgKmmNuaXujyTmdKOaPUvKXTUUysx56VIgO1WxqBDSMGR9ZqF6TVB-SFg6VgEnc/s400/nacho02.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fy1W4ccaQNS3Ya8TgPYgGz2ZStvVnibQXlxP0neuj3O9dhpoV_W4RkuiDH5660261hYhJmZAF67YllKPWOxzOmBhokKNzBHoX-GvvcJJFPSTUeLgkLtTzYd9A5DKM_AbjVp41wbig6U/s1600/nacho03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fy1W4ccaQNS3Ya8TgPYgGz2ZStvVnibQXlxP0neuj3O9dhpoV_W4RkuiDH5660261hYhJmZAF67YllKPWOxzOmBhokKNzBHoX-GvvcJJFPSTUeLgkLtTzYd9A5DKM_AbjVp41wbig6U/s400/nacho03.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDMnSARYWpuSh3ky8jP07HHPkzwKhrbp-ljUOmOl35_Kc21ZtkiBJSqw3BUKGew5WePYLHYXGW1oOAe7liPEScAkERGCsNu4RZGGMDsXyem9SrxO4lWN7tSxa2LBBDWGdXA_5MPrE_lA/s1600/nacho07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDMnSARYWpuSh3ky8jP07HHPkzwKhrbp-ljUOmOl35_Kc21ZtkiBJSqw3BUKGew5WePYLHYXGW1oOAe7liPEScAkERGCsNu4RZGGMDsXyem9SrxO4lWN7tSxa2LBBDWGdXA_5MPrE_lA/s400/nacho07.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDrO0dO40KotYgxf9R5ONsnUz3uOoUtL3dWObgQeC-ek2sw6Fnn8mtxlx9HcXCLNfXh5cRX1bhMew_GVrrZ2WTKQFhJClP-a_qsi8N4uIp4_BKl7wGd43e-f4Hc8ei7tIMZ6Tox1ULV0/s1600/nacho09.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDrO0dO40KotYgxf9R5ONsnUz3uOoUtL3dWObgQeC-ek2sw6Fnn8mtxlx9HcXCLNfXh5cRX1bhMew_GVrrZ2WTKQFhJClP-a_qsi8N4uIp4_BKl7wGd43e-f4Hc8ei7tIMZ6Tox1ULV0/s400/nacho09.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-26663173433853325172011-10-23T14:08:00.000-04:002012-12-09T15:39:08.534-05:00Fried Green Tomato PizzaRemember that movie? The one where the dissatisfied middle-aged housewife becomes friends with the elderly woman at the nursing home and hears a tale of love and abuse and suspected murder? The one where the main plot twist involves barbecuing the abusive husband and serving him to the mean police officer? (Oh sorry, did I spoil that for anyone...) <br />
<br />
Movie titles aside, fried green tomatoes turn out to be the perfect pizza topping for all of you gardeners currently gazing wistfully at the never-to-ripen tomatoes left on your vines. I guess technically you could pick green tomatoes all summer long, but it seems like a fall food to me. A final recognition that the harvest is winding down and the cold is settling in.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIG6YvGXjvR6-8OcfZbGrWZ4UknZA8-UffBCdBeghXbBP4lR2MlEMaIIuc0zX5Uo7oNhYPLQER341yJ8ZfapYN-PaiO3FM9iOvkjwkaVCpsPvtis1UFAgBYnH_7FExkH7usZ8u8hRiNU/s1600/greentomatoes01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIG6YvGXjvR6-8OcfZbGrWZ4UknZA8-UffBCdBeghXbBP4lR2MlEMaIIuc0zX5Uo7oNhYPLQER341yJ8ZfapYN-PaiO3FM9iOvkjwkaVCpsPvtis1UFAgBYnH_7FExkH7usZ8u8hRiNU/s400/greentomatoes01.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>FRIED GREEN TOMATOES:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>First, prepare three bowls for breading the tomatoes. In one shallow bowl or pan, put 1/4 cup all-purpose flour.</li>
<li>In a glass measuring cup or similarly deep bowl, combine 1 lightly beaten egg and 1/2 cup buttermilk. (If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can put a tablespoon of white vinegar in your measuring cup first, then fill up to the 1/2 cup mark with regular milk. Let it sit for a few minutes before adding the egg.)</li>
<li>In another shallow bowl or pan, combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.</li>
<li>Slice 3 medium-sized green tomatoes into 1/4-inch slices.</li>
<li>Dredge the tomato slices in the plain flour first, then dip them in the egg mixture, then dredge them in the cornmeal mixture so they have a nice coating. Flour doesn't stick very well to the juicy tomatoes, so it might not look even.</li>
<li>Pour about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet and heat on medium. Put the tomatoes in a single layer in the hot oil and cook about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. </li>
<li>Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.</li>
</ol>
We decided to fry some jalapeños while we were at it, so just slice them up and follow the same steps above. <br />
<br />
At this stage, I highly recommend helping yourself to a fried green tomato appetizer. Yum yum.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_DZZq3diCGZcZ6Rr1SE_Q5LOyIUU6pD0WuQOtx1aIcyVp0ZT81N4HexKQQvvx-PUJw2iA4VWqqDm-yXEhPTYm7itkJWjo2eH0qk1HAuUAr9OFc7wWU9yrNkw3G3FLnviIOy75OS_pCg/s1600/greentomatoes04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_DZZq3diCGZcZ6Rr1SE_Q5LOyIUU6pD0WuQOtx1aIcyVp0ZT81N4HexKQQvvx-PUJw2iA4VWqqDm-yXEhPTYm7itkJWjo2eH0qk1HAuUAr9OFc7wWU9yrNkw3G3FLnviIOy75OS_pCg/s400/greentomatoes04.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS:</b><br />
Now, if you still have any fried tomatoes left after your taste-test, it's time to prepare the pizza itself. Layer the toppings in this order:<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/02/crust_22.html">Very best pizza crust ever</a>, par-baked with a drizzle of olive oil and 2 chopped garlic gloves sprinkled on the top</li>
<li>Grated mozzarella</li>
<li>The fried green tomatoes, evenly spaced across the top (and fried jalapeños if you choose!)</li>
<li>Chopped red bell peppers or mild cherry peppers</li>
<li>Chopped chives</li>
</ol>
Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes to crisp up the crust and reheat the tomatoes. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWxbDxa9ybsx6rub2QXIOoGWfjat1ANr5lGb72OGB8HcJPlNRF23hkLnK7fmUYAMDTokAAyZN3R57xVBdreKBJIarqKCzujlHIMl2Em87pmLdcrIV8vt1L70EX_8yetAtNC8C_nDB_EY/s1600/greentomatoes05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWxbDxa9ybsx6rub2QXIOoGWfjat1ANr5lGb72OGB8HcJPlNRF23hkLnK7fmUYAMDTokAAyZN3R57xVBdreKBJIarqKCzujlHIMl2Em87pmLdcrIV8vt1L70EX_8yetAtNC8C_nDB_EY/s400/greentomatoes05.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2AqtY3ysJVT_Aj017f1TvWnpaTwLaH19TZXEje0iF4p50xr25RlSQjIzB4HiHGdsReCOuKuJk_IFc8k_UbF41hEZpDcou8BQrNAPAk4KWRTRScbKyoa1_oT7thkZdRK8hyphenhyphen3Vk30MqKI/s1600/greentomatoes08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2AqtY3ysJVT_Aj017f1TvWnpaTwLaH19TZXEje0iF4p50xr25RlSQjIzB4HiHGdsReCOuKuJk_IFc8k_UbF41hEZpDcou8BQrNAPAk4KWRTRScbKyoa1_oT7thkZdRK8hyphenhyphen3Vk30MqKI/s400/greentomatoes08.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
(Look at those two balls of dough in the background! More pizza en route!)pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-66863735391166501212011-10-02T14:05:00.002-04:002012-12-09T15:39:22.136-05:00French Onion Soup PizzaWith fall rolling in and my fingers permanently cold already, the thought of a steaming bowl of soup holds a special attraction. The richly mingled flavors provide the ultimate comfort: the opportunity to be warm from the <i>inside</i>. So in honor of chilly mornings and yellowing leaves, get out your stock pots and your stirring spoons and let's make a big vat of ... pizza?<br />
<br />
... I know, it's confusing. You came to this pizza blog, then I go making you all nostalgic about soup, and now we're back to pizza again. Well, it's not as convenient to cup a slice of pizza between chilly hands, but this one should still satisfy your deepest soup cravings.<br />
<br />
<b>ONION SAUCE:</b><br />
French onion soup essentially involves caramelized onions simmered in a broth of wine and beef stock and topped with cheesy croutons. We modified the recipe to achieve a saucier consistency for smearing on a pizza crust (aka the cheesy crouton), and we made it vegetarian.<br />
<br />
1. First, melt 1/3 cup unsalted butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add 2-3 large onions, sliced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 bay leaves; a sprinkling of thyme leaves; and salt and pepper to taste. Cook about 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and caramelized.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMRZ_DTciOHAcd_i-Bpc9NZrrjI2_cyRg5KGi-LVXdcIbqdn9IOBvjKE8nO0J4K3-zXQYZQgcaLrg81_ADIZGWZRsOAKLg6SUBm50A2wTpBo4_-wK9lLMxcWzTvFwYkZh1gr9mhaXztk/s1600/onionsoup02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMRZ_DTciOHAcd_i-Bpc9NZrrjI2_cyRg5KGi-LVXdcIbqdn9IOBvjKE8nO0J4K3-zXQYZQgcaLrg81_ADIZGWZRsOAKLg6SUBm50A2wTpBo4_-wK9lLMxcWzTvFwYkZh1gr9mhaXztk/s400/onionsoup02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">raw onions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiffhMkdcRsm4HPVtSYvp2gEoOvFt-RX1sY49Li-4umRD4-3yWmtjHFyKYv3NANllm9ivx7Vb5Spvb7btfdcdLRysqQygr06okm5Bf4N9WxqfT2j1BX1x9Rc5egHVuf-hvN8v4LCXDY7H4/s1600/onionsoup03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiffhMkdcRsm4HPVtSYvp2gEoOvFt-RX1sY49Li-4umRD4-3yWmtjHFyKYv3NANllm9ivx7Vb5Spvb7btfdcdLRysqQygr06okm5Bf4N9WxqfT2j1BX1x9Rc5egHVuf-hvN8v4LCXDY7H4/s400/onionsoup03.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">caramelized onions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
2. Next, add about 1/2 cup red wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the wine cooks off, about 5 minutes. Stir regularly.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioeBkMZwuU7kAa5-YgbpvdgEjsneR1cRJK41GzOzWyGAHOiOHSpBpk_94GFOjuD3hyFkgXGzgE5q5ej7YDIiAEQrIFJjzhAsPLJEG9lnE1a69TQiNzu5hI-xwAfF1UAcp-_hN7SJ4BW-U/s1600/onionsoup04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioeBkMZwuU7kAa5-YgbpvdgEjsneR1cRJK41GzOzWyGAHOiOHSpBpk_94GFOjuD3hyFkgXGzgE5q5ej7YDIiAEQrIFJjzhAsPLJEG9lnE1a69TQiNzu5hI-xwAfF1UAcp-_hN7SJ4BW-U/s400/onionsoup04.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wine added</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWu9R-prKcQNO6Gtan5Cinb63i2Qx9Q328RH_Vs2iwSGMK54FsyZM-p5gB0X7M_iPmY_P5pwQwwYr1JWkBbkfBk_rJ4ugKRV_zTmvAqoUdqVMPibICuHp0RM5_1c7iC4UF__lMs0wTJ0/s1600/onionsoup05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWu9R-prKcQNO6Gtan5Cinb63i2Qx9Q328RH_Vs2iwSGMK54FsyZM-p5gB0X7M_iPmY_P5pwQwwYr1JWkBbkfBk_rJ4ugKRV_zTmvAqoUdqVMPibICuHp0RM5_1c7iC4UF__lMs0wTJ0/s400/onionsoup05.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wine cooked off</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
3. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour over the onions and mix. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, to cook out the raw flour taste.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_cXUb71Uj-KmGzXPVcPf1kcqYq7LxtRqkRHd9tpN5CZwZm5SmNQzUQpHSMCJiPhgSsXATWgg6rEM0OWbzIK3GC-4d4iLjUenD3FV8A0yCT2jn4gLNKraTJfSgDgb9iRqCBlm9tbSzdw/s1600/onionsoup06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_cXUb71Uj-KmGzXPVcPf1kcqYq7LxtRqkRHd9tpN5CZwZm5SmNQzUQpHSMCJiPhgSsXATWgg6rEM0OWbzIK3GC-4d4iLjUenD3FV8A0yCT2jn4gLNKraTJfSgDgb9iRqCBlm9tbSzdw/s400/onionsoup06.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">with flour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
4. Here's where our recipe veers off from the soup recipe. Add 1 cup of vegetable broth (or beef broth for the French purists among us) and simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently, to thicken the mixture as much as possible. Season with salt and pepper to taste.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixqQhBxquAkV9awvmd9S4f3g5bDNJ1uT8aspvXAyqQizw-sTuQLA59lDRqrpgGVrden2Fx3PXyxXXVVihRPktZFKOep17d-bmfPoO6mKQPyGkMirk95yZgMgPE3TVP756_BaiBp8M_VhU/s1600/onionsoup07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixqQhBxquAkV9awvmd9S4f3g5bDNJ1uT8aspvXAyqQizw-sTuQLA59lDRqrpgGVrden2Fx3PXyxXXVVihRPktZFKOep17d-bmfPoO6mKQPyGkMirk95yZgMgPE3TVP756_BaiBp8M_VhU/s400/onionsoup07.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">broth added</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVh04vh6UXC5NiIW_PVXdqrIJ8jPyJRz4g8-wZ9kTsoDjZ1KFNauuNdt3WXcDztztnqpMuAvPtODOkDxe-1Qx9UBrpYVkGNUcq7VHQJ3av6vv_AiqvTzQOrAjaWoYcHIOqW03zZHO_LU/s1600/onionsoup08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVh04vh6UXC5NiIW_PVXdqrIJ8jPyJRz4g8-wZ9kTsoDjZ1KFNauuNdt3WXcDztztnqpMuAvPtODOkDxe-1Qx9UBrpYVkGNUcq7VHQJ3av6vv_AiqvTzQOrAjaWoYcHIOqW03zZHO_LU/s400/onionsoup08.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the final result</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS:</b><br />
Once you've got all that done (are your arms tired from stirring?), the pizza itself is a piece of cake (har har).<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/04/whole-wheat-crust.html">Whole-wheat crust</a>, par-baked</li>
<li>A generous spread of the onion sauce</li>
<li>A solid covering of grated Gruyère (we ended up using about 1/3 pound of cheese) </li>
</ol>
Bake at 450 degrees for 7 minutes until the cheese is melted and a little bubbly. Enjoy with a fine French wine and an elegant side salad.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT56JCXFWocEqAi794xHBV32lBb3Oz5YAVH-kygFphALzmK_V7lvjzZ42YsC9KMPPJRug-kEkze6LLfrLsOIlWYs1n5tV8bOT7jxDlT9FNqzdQpOofXZB1X6lzVRMZcA3K2qyNU67Xpnc/s1600/onionsoup09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT56JCXFWocEqAi794xHBV32lBb3Oz5YAVH-kygFphALzmK_V7lvjzZ42YsC9KMPPJRug-kEkze6LLfrLsOIlWYs1n5tV8bOT7jxDlT9FNqzdQpOofXZB1X6lzVRMZcA3K2qyNU67Xpnc/s400/onionsoup09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>NOTE:</b> If you wanted to actually make soup, you would add 2 quarts of beef/vegetable broth at step #4 above and simmer for 10 minutes. Alternately, if you have leftover onion sauce after making your pizza, you can easily transform it into soup by adding more broth. Then take some chunks of crusty bread, top them with thin slices of Gruyère and broil them in the oven or toast in the toaster oven until the cheese is melted. Float the croutons on the top of the soup to serve.<br />
<br />
(See, you got a soup recipe after all!)pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-28548308159369254482011-09-08T12:52:00.000-04:002012-12-09T15:39:32.358-05:00Veggie SquaresThe other month, I heard an amusing story about a pizza competition, and although I more-or-less remember the story, I <i>cannot</i> remember where I heard it (friend? coworker?? radio???). I hear the voice, I think I even picture hand gestures, but I have no specific recall of who or where or whatfor. Fortunately (or not), ML has an equally vague memory of said story, so at least I'm not just dreaming up pizza anecdotes.<br />
<br />
The tale goes something like this: There was a major pizza-making competition and a high-profile Italian chef was brought in to award the prizes. Contestants made all sorts of remarkable gourmet concoctions, using wonderful ingredients, but after tasting each recipe the chef announced, "Dees-a good, but eet's not-a pizza!"<br />
<br />
All of that to announce — officially — THIS IS GOOD, BUT IT'S NOT A PIZZA.<br />
<br />
At least not quite.<br />
<br />
It contains three main components you might expect from a pizza: a bread-based crust, a layer of cheesy substance, and a variety of veggie toppings. After that it goes straight from not being a pizza to being plain old GOOD. Like clean-off-the-platter-in-a-matter-of-minutes good. Take it to a potluck and you will be winning awards from the other guests.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJB9nvZmzCblQfQmiMQIFd5EiSw7CHUpuQ5dJa37mef5IPlCgFXGE9F-5KT8CxBnjGGYhaxZUor81uRHAM3rE8E6ph5igKm0xp35DTVYe7tLHuium7d3_UIYO-yWaAwmwJBg5ELhHwhNw/s1600/veggies07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJB9nvZmzCblQfQmiMQIFd5EiSw7CHUpuQ5dJa37mef5IPlCgFXGE9F-5KT8CxBnjGGYhaxZUor81uRHAM3rE8E6ph5igKm0xp35DTVYe7tLHuium7d3_UIYO-yWaAwmwJBg5ELhHwhNw/s400/veggies07.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Now, this recipe is originally a convenience recipe that calls for biscuit dough from a tube, dry ranch dressing from a package and mayonnaise. But one of my rules of thumb when grocery shopping is to try only to buy foods that contain ingredients I might actually have in my kitchen. So no high-fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils. No mono-benzo-sodi-nonsense. Takes a bit more time to read labels and requires going without Twinkies, but makes me feel like the food is healthier and my body has fewer weird chemicals to digest. Let me tell you, you don't particularly want to read the ingredient list for refrigerated biscuits or dry ranch dressing. Also let me also tell you, everything about this is super easy to make from scratch with familiar ingredients — especially if you have a food processor.<br />
<br />
<b>THE CRUST: </b><br />
The biscuit recipe comes from my dearly beloved "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Super-Natural-Every-Day-Well-loved/dp/1580082777" target="_blank">Super Natural Every Day</a>" cookbook by <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/" target="_blank">101 Cookbooks</a>.<br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a rack in the middle of the oven.</li>
<li>In a food processor (regular blade), combine 1&1/4 cups whole wheat flour, 1&1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1&1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 tablespoon baking powder. Pulse a few times to mix.</li>
<li>Cut 1/2 cup cold butter into very small cubes and sprinkle across the top of the dry ingredients. Pulse about 20 times, until dry and sandy looking.</li>
<li>Add 1&1/3 cups plain yogurt and pulse a few times until yogurt is just incorporated. Don't over-mix! A few dry patches are fine.</li>
<li>Scoop out the dough onto a floured surface. Knead five times and then press out into a rectangle that is about 1-inch thick. Use additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.</li>
<li>Cut the slab of dough in half and stack on top of each other. Repeat the flattening and stacking two more times.</li>
<li>Press the dough evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 10"x14" jelly roll pan. </li>
<li>Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the top is slightly golden.</li>
<li>Allow to cool on a wire rack.</li>
</ol>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3k2wu57j2BOBB_BZpIBdGtS-7MW4TtjJ5tOEGq01e33z77DNTqHvqdI8KFxNZgAxnucXbiFQ8sARc6CsqDwwNDD8Rt9JiqYZuqjkQEq1UjEF-pqMPqO_i-Y5k_6dYplsJiykSc_vGn4/s1600/veggies01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3k2wu57j2BOBB_BZpIBdGtS-7MW4TtjJ5tOEGq01e33z77DNTqHvqdI8KFxNZgAxnucXbiFQ8sARc6CsqDwwNDD8Rt9JiqYZuqjkQEq1UjEF-pqMPqO_i-Y5k_6dYplsJiykSc_vGn4/s400/veggies01.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cutting in half</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohgqdp9sORElMvT2qLrhyIAjJAQo5tcQYl7xcM-47pYYRcWgwhwGEEne6P9c-DBcur1qgEJJaPa4i4qrJZBek6uFkqL-bQFI0MDW6UmJ4O2f6AQFr374gHnlfp-BxiVPc5eXJZrXeXEw/s1600/veggies02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohgqdp9sORElMvT2qLrhyIAjJAQo5tcQYl7xcM-47pYYRcWgwhwGEEne6P9c-DBcur1qgEJJaPa4i4qrJZBek6uFkqL-bQFI0MDW6UmJ4O2f6AQFr374gHnlfp-BxiVPc5eXJZrXeXEw/s400/veggies02.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">stacking the halves</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>THE CHEESE:</b><br />
Have I mentioned it isn't really pizza? Well, this isn't really cheese either... Combine all of the following in a medium bowl and mix well. Spread evenly across the cooled crust.<br />
<ul>
<li>8 ounces of cream cheese, softened</li>
<li>1/2 cup plain yogurt</li>
<li>1 teaspoon dried parsley</li>
<li>3/4 teaspoon black pepper</li>
<li>1 teaspoon seasoned salt</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon garlic powder</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon onion powder</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon dried thyme </li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacZtAtykNZGCY1ZD0ndWY3_NvzORgbTBca0C8W87wr5ksIYbEnGWaNkkLfnedHjIuA7Smtq1WKTcSWc29IjUKbDsK7SO51lT7lB2C8gSJsdXzDYzeglfcZTqS1aZh9PR3jl4PHVvlP6g/s1600/veggies03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacZtAtykNZGCY1ZD0ndWY3_NvzORgbTBca0C8W87wr5ksIYbEnGWaNkkLfnedHjIuA7Smtq1WKTcSWc29IjUKbDsK7SO51lT7lB2C8gSJsdXzDYzeglfcZTqS1aZh9PR3jl4PHVvlP6g/s400/veggies03.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>THE TOPPINGS:</b><br />
As this was originally a convenience food recipe, I suppose you could take the easy way out and chop your veggies with the food processor. However, all of those drooling potluckers will laud you for how pretty it looks, so take advantage of that. Personally, I like to select four brightly colored veggies and chop them evenly and finely. Then I lay them out across the surface of the cream cheese in narrow strips, both to make it attractive and to ensure that each square ends up with an even assortment of vegetables. Here I used cucumbers, red bell peppers, carrots and broccoli — but any of your favorites will work. Cut the not-a-pizza into squares and serve!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCjKdhoO-KYkRyg-Eze27snnRuBvTOxQKQrODce1GC7tUI5ZqAAMxxmw9-5N8XVibNNvJfTCwz5o3l0IzYAA1k6jLQz4dh3r8Gcw-E5UlHx2Rr6yjrn1c-BwcJ0w9zsCa9HSwjhk2hyA/s1600/veggies05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCjKdhoO-KYkRyg-Eze27snnRuBvTOxQKQrODce1GC7tUI5ZqAAMxxmw9-5N8XVibNNvJfTCwz5o3l0IzYAA1k6jLQz4dh3r8Gcw-E5UlHx2Rr6yjrn1c-BwcJ0w9zsCa9HSwjhk2hyA/s400/veggies05.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgF9FgvyqG28rtdARhYShWqTGCuj1t9cHCNtNMzjuasRKlqPGXMtZNC9uQAnHe4Y8mS4OM3XUOy6ySfTl7Iawm6i853ZiW7gSC-5e-2knk-h5AwK3Pixc_pibiWCkVaGrUqoV0A1JyLM/s1600/veggies06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgF9FgvyqG28rtdARhYShWqTGCuj1t9cHCNtNMzjuasRKlqPGXMtZNC9uQAnHe4Y8mS4OM3XUOy6ySfTl7Iawm6i853ZiW7gSC-5e-2knk-h5AwK3Pixc_pibiWCkVaGrUqoV0A1JyLM/s400/veggies06.JPG" width="331" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm not kidding about the potluck. We took this to a Labor Day gathering and it was gone before the burgers were even <i>on</i> the grill.pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-72452232272302371742011-09-07T22:20:00.003-04:002012-12-09T15:35:11.444-05:00Pesto Pizza the ThirdAs fall gradually creeps in, it looks like the basil season is, sadly, winding down. My plants appear a little scraggly, less prolific. *sniff* But all sadness about the end of summer aside, now is prime time to mix up more pesto and make the most out of every last leaf. So if you're ready for pesto batch #2, here's a fresh and tasty combination of toppings to try out. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizIdzbg_tZ4kD8PGHYD3DG-ntqaAPh9BEBSbhChliZT__ZeQ0bXBRtggpDuUK4_rBCGLBTbm_mdNdrmm6KIAWsLQtWRNb839eU3gWKYfxVqX3-0rN3hBibJeI1FKGthBfCsaGkd6BJk8/s1600/pesto10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizIdzbg_tZ4kD8PGHYD3DG-ntqaAPh9BEBSbhChliZT__ZeQ0bXBRtggpDuUK4_rBCGLBTbm_mdNdrmm6KIAWsLQtWRNb839eU3gWKYfxVqX3-0rN3hBibJeI1FKGthBfCsaGkd6BJk8/s400/pesto10.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order): <br />
<ol>
<li>The <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/02/crust_22.html">very best pizza crust ever</a>, par-baked.</li>
<li>Generous spread of <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/07/perfect-pesto-pizza.html">homemade pesto</a> </li>
<li>Grated mozzarella</li>
<li>Chopped leeks</li>
<li>Slivers of bacon, par-cooked just enough to be not-raw, but not enough to be crispy (optional)</li>
<li>Halved cherry tomatoes and/or sliced tomatoes</li>
<li>Sliced bell peppers</li>
</ol>
Bake at 450 degrees F for 7 minutes and top with just a teensy sprinkle of extra Parmesan. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkCWs3O_Z5J4lWDE_xYLJJMnkGWwn8Bxv1b2NGy3TYqAsDhMlSqHnF50hOYgMtxi3zcIg116VbeEHTt9snku51gyOuOAOLtcyonR-kRb7-IVMliSFjRoGIEOjyYsXJp6OAc78x8kVaRQ/s1600/pesto13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkCWs3O_Z5J4lWDE_xYLJJMnkGWwn8Bxv1b2NGy3TYqAsDhMlSqHnF50hOYgMtxi3zcIg116VbeEHTt9snku51gyOuOAOLtcyonR-kRb7-IVMliSFjRoGIEOjyYsXJp6OAc78x8kVaRQ/s400/pesto13.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-37438610025380894272011-08-28T12:21:00.005-04:002012-12-09T15:39:41.144-05:00Roasted Cherry Tomato PizzaYou may recall from our <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/03/kale-salad-pizza.html">Kale Salad Pizza</a> recipe my love of food blog <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/index.html" target="_blank">101 Cookbooks</a>. Or maybe I only mentioned my enthusiasm for Heidi's raw tuscan kale salad and forgot to elaborate on how much I truly enjoy every single recipe she creates. Every. Single. One.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Super-Natural-Every-Day-Well-loved/dp/1580082777" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.101cookbooks.com/mt-static/images/2010/super-natural-everyday-cover.jpg" /></a></div>
So I anxiously awaited the arrival of her latest cookbook, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Super-Natural-Every-Day-Well-loved/dp/1580082777" target="_blank">Super Natural Every Day</a>," and this summer have been working my way through the many delicious combinations of whole, healthy ingredients. I'm not getting a commission for selling cookbooks or anything, but if you have any foodie bones in your body, you should buy this book. Even if you don't like to cook, the pictures are stunning enough to set it on your coffee table and drool over it on a regular basis.<br />
<br />
This pizza recipe emerged after flipping to a page describing how to make oven-roasted cherry tomatoes. We already enjoy cherry tomatoes on pizza for their juicy, punchy bite of tomato-ness, so intensifying and sweetening that flavor sounded exciting. Fortunately, we had several tubs of golden cherry tomatoes already on hand from our CSA.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKbSdueAxeUKTbCy2vp0yWptSZH4C6EFPg3uk1yf4_ikDWQPE4yRvma5LWHIzweehyBkMOsA3ZUqkvKudpIJ2Q4ADVnpEN2xjCT5yMoYJDMwW0hvLSmfEUUsWJ5O-ErWjP0Wit5LCMuE/s1600/cherry01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKbSdueAxeUKTbCy2vp0yWptSZH4C6EFPg3uk1yf4_ikDWQPE4yRvma5LWHIzweehyBkMOsA3ZUqkvKudpIJ2Q4ADVnpEN2xjCT5yMoYJDMwW0hvLSmfEUUsWJ5O-ErWjP0Wit5LCMuE/s400/cherry01.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>OVEN-ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES</b> (from Super Natural Every Day):<br />
<ol>
<li> Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with the rack in the top third of the oven.</li>
<li>Wash and remove all stems from 1 pint of cherry tomatoes. Slice them in half and place them in a large baking dish.</li>
<li>In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour over the tomatoes and toss to coat.</li>
<li>Arrange the tomatoes with the cut side up so that the juices don't run out and roast them for 45 to 60 minutes, until the tomatoes shrink and start to caramelize around the edges.</li>
<li>You can use them right away, or let them cool and store them in a glass jar along with any leftover olive oil. Top off the jar with additional olive oil to help preserve the tomatoes. They will keep for about 1 week in the fridge.</li>
</ol>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_MNT2X8_EAg8nmRlCOMQYmiH7FpTfvnHdhNsc4dJxQ287fIyRh-url5peQKHyWkjrRoODbGwCRKdytqsftQSHBf9HRyVZyDStLVZcvX9DYHb5k0jNZN7Kf56ZXPcDg-CwtexC2FoBZQ/s1600/cherry03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_MNT2X8_EAg8nmRlCOMQYmiH7FpTfvnHdhNsc4dJxQ287fIyRh-url5peQKHyWkjrRoODbGwCRKdytqsftQSHBf9HRyVZyDStLVZcvX9DYHb5k0jNZN7Kf56ZXPcDg-CwtexC2FoBZQ/s400/cherry03.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut-side up in the baking dish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim48QMEoSIhlFomL3jlfYJoHOvybbH1k9a3vu832xPlLxcClp2naMS9j8oK_1pp35NVlqn9F9QdNpMH5CWX69WF2IzZI5ncc_IkQfzELlGHDzR042Fqn6JRyWK23YN_nUqn_EwJtLrd_U/s1600/cherry04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim48QMEoSIhlFomL3jlfYJoHOvybbH1k9a3vu832xPlLxcClp2naMS9j8oK_1pp35NVlqn9F9QdNpMH5CWX69WF2IzZI5ncc_IkQfzELlGHDzR042Fqn6JRyWK23YN_nUqn_EwJtLrd_U/s400/cherry04.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted, with more olive oil than the recipe calls for</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejrrLLpIA98u42CKYxJ27FuI8UKX8Cb9Q7ARKPnyJuJ0HwxMR7b6kvq57fQYQjNCoKn8BHvALkeoqBDXSLALJAsKYYoiFz8VOg6zAGZpAMrChwe1RJwORLnJz5BCY98ASO4jF7gerwrc/s1600/cherry05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejrrLLpIA98u42CKYxJ27FuI8UKX8Cb9Q7ARKPnyJuJ0HwxMR7b6kvq57fQYQjNCoKn8BHvALkeoqBDXSLALJAsKYYoiFz8VOg6zAGZpAMrChwe1RJwORLnJz5BCY98ASO4jF7gerwrc/s400/cherry05.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stored for later</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order):<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/04/whole-wheat-crust.html">Whole wheat crust</a>, par-baked</li>
<li>An entire batch of oven-roasted cherry tomatoes, thinly spread over the crust, with any remaining olive oil. If you want an extra tomato-y pizza, consider using two batches.</li>
<li>Several handfuls of fresh basil, torn into large chunks</li>
<li>A chopped garlic scape or 2 minced garlic cloves</li>
<li>Grated mozzarella </li>
<li>Grated Parmesan </li>
</ol>
Bake at 450 degrees for 7 minutes. Top with another sprinkle of Parmesan and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if it looks dry.<br />
<br />
We had friends over for dinner that night and made both this pizza and our go-to-for-impressing-guests <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/02/potato-leek-pizza.html">Potato-Leek Pizza</a> and it was a toss-up which one people liked more.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqYS3V9iqEkn233zP23FARmZ3VnJKjSgMOAZNmmzkbw6Qz5q7SFu7oOlx72i8uSEtEBKmWOEPkbWk8NQoOpfmmlnDsntoW3vBxzCZNdnevImB2VXDgoRWlkyy-nPwWlAPwwsly_vhPLI/s1600/cherry06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqYS3V9iqEkn233zP23FARmZ3VnJKjSgMOAZNmmzkbw6Qz5q7SFu7oOlx72i8uSEtEBKmWOEPkbWk8NQoOpfmmlnDsntoW3vBxzCZNdnevImB2VXDgoRWlkyy-nPwWlAPwwsly_vhPLI/s400/cherry06.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-K3AqA1KvD4b3CnyWgEvDjVHddFK_EmzJSGZM4GmAUxqXz1yOXaehmUebxn0k6Xc22EZGoiRaYMx6wLblsPKJjebZu7ttk1Mo7tayzhRhRHDMI5xS1aqI7pZMgdh088-OdYW6rl9qUk/s1600/cherry07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-K3AqA1KvD4b3CnyWgEvDjVHddFK_EmzJSGZM4GmAUxqXz1yOXaehmUebxn0k6Xc22EZGoiRaYMx6wLblsPKJjebZu7ttk1Mo7tayzhRhRHDMI5xS1aqI7pZMgdh088-OdYW6rl9qUk/s400/cherry07.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-50577598208224380812011-07-30T15:18:00.001-04:002012-12-09T15:39:51.360-05:00Perfect Pesto PizzaHere you can see a basil plant in our backyard:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggU_KOZ1KgFPStasZSTGJvMTBz8SJjZd4mFyjDN_K3deL7U2ShZA0dMlRnOgSfluYM-TKPrf1WnsPurvMQQG8xV8eQwVsoXHvbOPfLf5v9tp6UlxsjJrT1OlN3w7QMOkAVBJ1dhzN0H3o/s1600/pesto01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggU_KOZ1KgFPStasZSTGJvMTBz8SJjZd4mFyjDN_K3deL7U2ShZA0dMlRnOgSfluYM-TKPrf1WnsPurvMQQG8xV8eQwVsoXHvbOPfLf5v9tp6UlxsjJrT1OlN3w7QMOkAVBJ1dhzN0H3o/s400/pesto01.JPG" width="257" /></a></div>
<br />
What you can't see is the second equally enormous plant immediately behind this one, nor the big bunches we have been receiving each week in our CSA box. I suspect we would have basil growing out our ears if we weren't careful. Of course, there is only one logical option for such an inundation... make pesto!<br />
<br />
<b>PESTO:</b><br />
I base my pesto on the recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, <a href="http://www.worldcommunitycookbook.org/season/guide/index.html" target="_blank">Simply in Season</a>, which contains wonderful everyday dishes using seasonal produce from the northern half of North America. It's the perfect cookbook if you shop regularly at a farmer's market or participate in a CSA, and provides helpful tips for how to eat seasonally and inexpensively.<br />
<br />
First, toast 1/3 cup of pine nuts, walnuts or hazelnuts in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Personally, I like to use walnuts since they're a little less expensive than the others and we usually have them on hand. You don't need any oil, just keep stirring the nuts to keep them from scorching until they start to turn golden and smell fragrant. Allow the nuts to cool.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHySdwBOKKbWOZjyJaSOnFB4W7wJyhQRG1XL0RfDn1JPtCMQI9cAF416SsPMbLA_7GGdnMK68aFfb640bEo-1FkDSb-BWmFiSa4c1au6UvVE__VvPRY7rPParPYzip-4gLreoFPNnTpQI/s1600/pesto02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHySdwBOKKbWOZjyJaSOnFB4W7wJyhQRG1XL0RfDn1JPtCMQI9cAF416SsPMbLA_7GGdnMK68aFfb640bEo-1FkDSb-BWmFiSa4c1au6UvVE__VvPRY7rPParPYzip-4gLreoFPNnTpQI/s400/pesto02.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Next, put all of the following into a food processor and finely chop:<br />
<ul>
<li>1 cup packed fresh basil leaves</li>
<li>2-3 cloves garlic</li>
<li>1/3 toasted nuts</li>
<li> 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5wV9zWiM1HW7J34QhALPoT9LyB6THNAljm4UmAUhSvgqSO6clpOrMNbggpkw6_GcgJroNfYOb5uQJ-uj2_q9QaxZWYTFy1XDMeJp5uesUuZxFglSkCX3kzytvfbZD-iBw3t5QCHJUF8/s1600/pesto03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5wV9zWiM1HW7J34QhALPoT9LyB6THNAljm4UmAUhSvgqSO6clpOrMNbggpkw6_GcgJroNfYOb5uQJ-uj2_q9QaxZWYTFy1XDMeJp5uesUuZxFglSkCX3kzytvfbZD-iBw3t5QCHJUF8/s400/pesto03.JPG" width="396" /></a></div>
<br />
With the food processor running, gradually add 1/3 cup (or more to get a consistency you like) extra virgin olive oil to make a thick paste.<br />
<br />
If you intend to use the pesto within a few weeks, you can store it in a glass jar with a lid. When you first put the pesto in the jar and each time after you use it, flatten out the surface of the pesto with a spoon and pour a thin layer of olive oil over the surface. This helps the pesto stay a bright green color (it oxidizes and turns brown in contact with air) and keeps it fresh longer. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUYzFZJ3tI8ERhgGAUPKh0utCPf66GsHYOLc3E8lDwHvTq_OKlQKBIrFenMFuHLOFfWH8dd9UYUcx8eRduFmfrCc_EgTu4bo42vhFBUdGYLMg-0XcfYeubnhK_2CE5ktpUD97tSk_jHE/s1600/pesto04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUYzFZJ3tI8ERhgGAUPKh0utCPf66GsHYOLc3E8lDwHvTq_OKlQKBIrFenMFuHLOFfWH8dd9UYUcx8eRduFmfrCc_EgTu4bo42vhFBUdGYLMg-0XcfYeubnhK_2CE5ktpUD97tSk_jHE/s400/pesto04.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Y0ddWWycZwWdS6iO8D3QaSHCh8mrvtg-1uBvG0IFK-is2aDhEjK3ibCvTlwPCfHdJ7jzXXqX3GtFF3zoGJos8etLF7P6PCDNhA-3XpcnFLVVRsHbUZfR7OeBhj_Wiwc2BHI1Z52xbJ8/s1600/pesto05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Y0ddWWycZwWdS6iO8D3QaSHCh8mrvtg-1uBvG0IFK-is2aDhEjK3ibCvTlwPCfHdJ7jzXXqX3GtFF3zoGJos8etLF7P6PCDNhA-3XpcnFLVVRsHbUZfR7OeBhj_Wiwc2BHI1Z52xbJ8/s400/pesto05.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
If you want to freeze pesto for use through the winter, omit the garlic and cheese and pour the pesto into ice cube trays. When frozen, you can pop the cubes out and store them in a bag in the freezer. It's easy to defrost a cube or two as you need them; just add garlic and cheese.<br />
<br />
All of this talk about pesto might leave you wondering "where's the pizza?" Well, one of the best parts about making super delicious homemade pesto is that the pizza itself can be very simple. We put artichoke hearts on ours, but I thought they were unnecessary and over-complicated the flavors. The pizza would have been perfect with just three toppings:<br />
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order):<br />
<ol>
<li>Whatever crust you have on hand, par-baked. The <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/02/crust_22.html">very best pizza crust ever</a> or the <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/06/simple-crust.html">simple crust</a> are equally delicious for this one.</li>
<li>Thin spread of pesto. A little flavor goes a long way, so there's no need to overdo it.</li>
<li>Grated mozzarella cheese or thin slices of fresh mozzarella</li>
<li>Thinly sliced fresh garden tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes</li>
</ol>
That's it! Bake at 450 degrees F for 7 minutes. There's no need to top this one with more Parmesan or olive oil, since the pesto supplies more than enough of those flavors.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUu85X-Th9toSaFqIEpSnC0uhHvR7Xl5VnVyu3ajhp4zBncOBJOxOjS6uyXxQb0D-3zjhEShl4gHk7QrR6lT23XnzoSzjrvY9Ur0owxx1eL1thht02owXiuSJG2StzY26ZvcnK797cluE/s1600/pesto06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUu85X-Th9toSaFqIEpSnC0uhHvR7Xl5VnVyu3ajhp4zBncOBJOxOjS6uyXxQb0D-3zjhEShl4gHk7QrR6lT23XnzoSzjrvY9Ur0owxx1eL1thht02owXiuSJG2StzY26ZvcnK797cluE/s400/pesto06.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-48803876062960521132011-07-25T21:39:00.001-04:002012-12-09T15:40:53.327-05:00Ratatouille PizzaAs I was afraid, when I googled <i>ratatouille</i> to make sure I was spelling it correctly, the first three search items were about the animated film. Nothing like associating French cuisine with a talking rodent.<br />
<br />
Then again, in our apartment, we automatically associate ratatouille with an outrageous French accent and the gratuitous use of the three French phrases we know: <i>oui, oui</i>; <i>impossible</i> (approximately *ahm-pos-seeb-leh*); and <i>les poissons</i>. I had to turn on some Edith Piaf and stick my recently acquired Bastille Day flag above my desk in order to channel the appropriate <i>je ne sais quoi</i> for writing about pizza.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lEADZfbRUkIzboivjOWy-n16D0T_ZcGQmsVdtbd9Uqo78nA5ib9t6PRQjxWHusLJcrC7yEtg7UCKbht_7_fF5mErtzCptPtk4YFE7KQjdJW6Dm42v3PyudQnh77czTHzERnZDR1Hz20/s1600/ratatouille16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lEADZfbRUkIzboivjOWy-n16D0T_ZcGQmsVdtbd9Uqo78nA5ib9t6PRQjxWHusLJcrC7yEtg7UCKbht_7_fF5mErtzCptPtk4YFE7KQjdJW6Dm42v3PyudQnh77czTHzERnZDR1Hz20/s400/ratatouille16.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The wine, unfortunately, is Australian, so it's not helping much.<br />
<br />
Ratatouille, for the layperson, is a traditional French dish of stewed vegetables, usually high summer veggies like tomatoes, eggplant (<i>aubergine</i>), zucchini, bell peppers, onions, garlic, basil and marjoram. I have always thought of it as a way to use up garden excess while producing a delicious, colorful meal.<br />
<br />
Even though our zucchini plant succumbed to destructive squash bugs the other week and our tomatoes seem averse to actually ripening, we realized we had a pretty good assortment of the necessary ingredients on hand. There were a few leftover zucchini in our fridge, a green tomato fell off the vine when we were trying to fix the stake, our white Japanese eggplant were reaching full size, and various peppers were turning red.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBeEnDMkOJp_52LDAZ-KqPkkincZBAU8qz6vIcWTMDTn8XdMwduQ0ffgQ2E-Es6DmI9-HeDiXxWOyHPNLbcENvMyr9ysTiKjN0jj6scWKHlvayNKTZBaGO6yRYR3LMqLP6ENK0HSN43p0/s1600/ratatouille05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBeEnDMkOJp_52LDAZ-KqPkkincZBAU8qz6vIcWTMDTn8XdMwduQ0ffgQ2E-Es6DmI9-HeDiXxWOyHPNLbcENvMyr9ysTiKjN0jj6scWKHlvayNKTZBaGO6yRYR3LMqLP6ENK0HSN43p0/s400/ratatouille05.JPG" width="300" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshXt-x0h3eIZwppNSKRxMLZsK9CTBfKqHRIHGBtnDJle8fA5RC96VG3o7u3uXPqA5pc5pZINDxnb5oxVrh-ANJZY4JC6pSSKQApv8j1jdBk5EgcMXpQ13Lx_hbbPlWbiBOT1hsDOvAp8/s1600/ratatouille06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkb1l_fH_kyrM_DhtUhX97T9dlN6B0i9PkVKYMmd3JPoq50ddZqxhJa1dEkBL9U7gQo1PHw50kryAJolukZUGXTZ8TpVcg1Dz9UZ1RD2DYYebiYirBl5-dDga7_8Czozf3kTrjJtn_7E/s1600/ratatouille01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkb1l_fH_kyrM_DhtUhX97T9dlN6B0i9PkVKYMmd3JPoq50ddZqxhJa1dEkBL9U7gQo1PHw50kryAJolukZUGXTZ8TpVcg1Dz9UZ1RD2DYYebiYirBl5-dDga7_8Czozf3kTrjJtn_7E/s400/ratatouille01.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshXt-x0h3eIZwppNSKRxMLZsK9CTBfKqHRIHGBtnDJle8fA5RC96VG3o7u3uXPqA5pc5pZINDxnb5oxVrh-ANJZY4JC6pSSKQApv8j1jdBk5EgcMXpQ13Lx_hbbPlWbiBOT1hsDOvAp8/s1600/ratatouille06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshXt-x0h3eIZwppNSKRxMLZsK9CTBfKqHRIHGBtnDJle8fA5RC96VG3o7u3uXPqA5pc5pZINDxnb5oxVrh-ANJZY4JC6pSSKQApv8j1jdBk5EgcMXpQ13Lx_hbbPlWbiBOT1hsDOvAp8/s400/ratatouille06.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
The combination is <i>tres </i><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i>délicieux</i>, although you should feel free to substitute whatever fresh summer produce you have on hand.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order):</span></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/02/crust_22.html">Very best pizza crust ever</a>, par-baked</span></span></li>
<li><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">finely chopped garlic</span></span></li>
<li><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"> diced tomatoes (fresh if you have them; we used some leftover canned ones)</span></span></li>
<li><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"></span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">sliced green tomatoes (if you have abundant ripe tomatoes, combine #3 and #4)</span></span></li>
<li><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">very thinly sliced zucchini</span></span></li>
<li><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">thinly sliced onion</span></span></li>
<li><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">shredded mozarella</span></span></li>
<li><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">very thinly sliced eggplant, tossed in olive oil (I recommend small, skinny Japanese eggplants. If you use a larger eggplant, be sure to salt it for 20 minutes and press out some of the liquid before putting on the pizza)</span></span></li>
<li><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations">thinly sliced red bell peppers or mild cherry peppers</span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"> </span></span></li>
</ol>
Bake at 350 degrees F (lower than usual) for about 15 minutes (longer than usual), until the eggplant is tender all the way through. Top with grated Parmesan and an assortment of chopped fresh herbs such as basil, marjoram, oregano, etc.<br />
<br />
<i>Bon appétit!</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1PuvhnsPEsnwSqlm26ikgMOatneVHnZsclackWUd6_Z6LNdx4h-vKBMIEEWoDg2-tDoM5eNYrxNZmTBfwlaW_EPrTExDfs_Vei9UcYuVnmp_OHtGFwx0rN-8HBINHawf_jyHxCXGQ-o/s1600/IMG_6231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1PuvhnsPEsnwSqlm26ikgMOatneVHnZsclackWUd6_Z6LNdx4h-vKBMIEEWoDg2-tDoM5eNYrxNZmTBfwlaW_EPrTExDfs_Vei9UcYuVnmp_OHtGFwx0rN-8HBINHawf_jyHxCXGQ-o/s400/IMG_6231.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWP2DbzEdy0WsqdXvpTpGKQQPvfD5NZv9uFt0IMgXhZstE-TwYl1bDCstcjMLY2XlI2Sh2xhSAvXOeDGixrAYirauN_p17BQbhM2z6vD_vr4W82KmO4gg6a01Sgg-5nc_MUYlAW-v88l4/s1600/ratatouille14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWP2DbzEdy0WsqdXvpTpGKQQPvfD5NZv9uFt0IMgXhZstE-TwYl1bDCstcjMLY2XlI2Sh2xhSAvXOeDGixrAYirauN_p17BQbhM2z6vD_vr4W82KmO4gg6a01Sgg-5nc_MUYlAW-v88l4/s400/ratatouille14.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-28783886221521926482011-07-14T23:03:00.001-04:002011-07-14T23:03:44.639-04:00Pita PizzaImagine, if you will, two creative individuals with similarly creative careers (aka they work nonstop doing things they enjoy for piddling amounts of money) arriving at home late one evening after their respective gigs. They are a little hungry, a little grumpy and not at all interested in having a pile of dishes to wash. The fridge seems awfully bare and the pickings look slim, until—voilà—one of them notices that the stale pita bread in the bottom of the lefthand fridge drawer strongly resembles a pizza crust. Out comes a crusty-rimmed bottle of pasta sauce, a few soggy mushrooms, the last artichoke hearts floating in the jar, a chunk of leftover cheese. A few minutes in the toaster oven, and the pita pizza is born.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6fmZsneLOZMuI13wZlOX_4KpiBPyOU_lqVHD1tInreQnL9itVD3RYCQJ0yKraQSSJy4gxzqi1C29emzSVD8Pc_GtQ2XfoVKv5QzRqXPEyXP0dmMvYLcbtW9ingH5_4djVZVSgDi9KUw/s1600/summerpizza04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6fmZsneLOZMuI13wZlOX_4KpiBPyOU_lqVHD1tInreQnL9itVD3RYCQJ0yKraQSSJy4gxzqi1C29emzSVD8Pc_GtQ2XfoVKv5QzRqXPEyXP0dmMvYLcbtW9ingH5_4djVZVSgDi9KUw/s400/summerpizza04.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9o7tcjKNawFmgFZ2IgtK9cGBDS3e_9xxMzj3aUfj42Rr7D1QjlY_i4qkXLSuZliPUI7sM6xqg3b6JAgR8XDKiwYEys4HiCxt5PjIUOn5bZc33FCPspB5wAj2-PwcT4WNMqfMzF2pdiQ/s1600/summerpizza05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9o7tcjKNawFmgFZ2IgtK9cGBDS3e_9xxMzj3aUfj42Rr7D1QjlY_i4qkXLSuZliPUI7sM6xqg3b6JAgR8XDKiwYEys4HiCxt5PjIUOn5bZc33FCPspB5wAj2-PwcT4WNMqfMzF2pdiQ/s400/summerpizza05.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-77983553923650750272011-07-12T23:43:00.000-04:002012-12-09T15:41:06.836-05:00Hello Summer PizzaCity living isn't always kind to gardeners, but we have the good fortune to have a slab of fenced-in concrete for container gardening, a garden plot in a nearby community garden, and a CSA share from a local farm. Summer produce in <i>abundance</i>. Currently, our CSA has been overflowing with lettuces and kale and our garden plot has been exponentially producing cucumbers, so we've been gorging ourselves on salads while we wait for everything else to ripen. (Picked one cherry tomato today!)<br />
<br />
But frankly, we're getting tired of salad and our various attempts to creatively prepare cucumbers are losing their novelty, so we recently gave in and picked up some tomatoes and peppers from a farmer's market. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdiFNoUqo9vFTvNzeuxAAi3idKCK9r_qLsKgn0fi6CJEErby3iY30N5zizr43st4Ais-Dcq0mN55lUgb4sw965qAfTUU4g_P12tBJcskt07k3DWgynnCGFWoBzvXbBA7mfq29HZUzycY/s1600/summerpizza01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdiFNoUqo9vFTvNzeuxAAi3idKCK9r_qLsKgn0fi6CJEErby3iY30N5zizr43st4Ais-Dcq0mN55lUgb4sw965qAfTUU4g_P12tBJcskt07k3DWgynnCGFWoBzvXbBA7mfq29HZUzycY/s400/summerpizza01.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Tonight, in spite of the 95-degree heat, we thought it was time for our favorite summer veggie pizza, so we fired up the oven (yikes), sliced tomatoes and already-roasted red peppers and walked out back to snip some fresh basil. It was exactly as delicious as we remembered it, although I'm sure when we make it again entirely with vegetables we grew ourselves, all of that hard work and nurturing attention will make it taste even better.<br />
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order):<br />
<ol>
<li>par-baked<a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/02/crust_22.html"> very best pizza crust ever</a></li>
<li>brush of extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li>minced garlic</li>
<li>shredded mozzarella cheese </li>
<li>sliced fresh tomatoes</li>
<li>sliced roasted red peppers</li>
<li>fresh basil leaves, snipped into small pieces</li>
<li>a sprinkle of salt</li>
</ol>
Bake at 450° F for about 7 minutes, then top with more fresh basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpkXApsMzQUW1GwGrZuOJ7TvqMrZMftBHPKCi13lJaaI79kmHLFBM2k3GAprmEL1_e9JP7BpIJbqi_RUM7SOeHic1FCB1bq7wh0L6vchVAnC_-BzIaQmyHXkRQcxGwyjuqDt7pSnebwM/s1600/summerpizza03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpkXApsMzQUW1GwGrZuOJ7TvqMrZMftBHPKCi13lJaaI79kmHLFBM2k3GAprmEL1_e9JP7BpIJbqi_RUM7SOeHic1FCB1bq7wh0L6vchVAnC_-BzIaQmyHXkRQcxGwyjuqDt7pSnebwM/s400/summerpizza03.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkVsQI2mjIB5R1Fm_84epnWhjciSZ35t2NrPn2RI7riYTiQampQTQP7S4cRNTxS01rpKoM9TlckeWYOgnjO7FJwnTp7yHb1KdoZfctuJCLbXoeSlILBgGMN4tray9qHhdHdcD2G04aAk/s1600/summerpizza02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkVsQI2mjIB5R1Fm_84epnWhjciSZ35t2NrPn2RI7riYTiQampQTQP7S4cRNTxS01rpKoM9TlckeWYOgnjO7FJwnTp7yHb1KdoZfctuJCLbXoeSlILBgGMN4tray9qHhdHdcD2G04aAk/s400/summerpizza02.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Someday soon we need to experiment with grilled pizza and keep all of that heat outside!pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349733183878138957.post-10930171741844145932011-06-25T17:01:00.002-04:002012-12-09T15:35:51.957-05:00Shaved Asparagus PizzaML: "If you had told my 14-year-old self that I would be wanting second helpings of <i>asparagus</i> pizza..."<br />
<br />
Well, 14-year-old selves might need to take a back seat, because this is one tasty grown-up pizza. The idea started when our friend KB, who knows about our pizza obsession and was one of the tasters of the <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/04/breakfast-pizza.html">breakfast pizza</a>, told us that a coworker of hers regularly makes a pizza with shredded asparagus. We happened to be on our way to a u-pick farm and market, which happened to have enormous bunches of beautiful asparagus. Coincidence? Fate??<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2WQfZ4lIPH3Rpzf7RacleWECnMLaRImSHUY5kyhbdPTO1yNgIDtVBmI0CappYZsaPI1PFZfvDfQdCbgW_Gjq5B8octjs26OoKpNZUuCwP-l3T2e0aySf9F6y7bgPc5uXBn2erXgwJ2Q/s1600/asparaguspizza01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2WQfZ4lIPH3Rpzf7RacleWECnMLaRImSHUY5kyhbdPTO1yNgIDtVBmI0CappYZsaPI1PFZfvDfQdCbgW_Gjq5B8octjs26OoKpNZUuCwP-l3T2e0aySf9F6y7bgPc5uXBn2erXgwJ2Q/s400/asparaguspizza01.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
To get an idea of where to start, I looked up asparagus pizza recipes and found one on <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/05/shaved-asparagus-pizza/">smitten kitchen's blog</a>, which is among my very favorite food blogs. We liked her idea to isolate the asparagus, which certainly deserves a bit of a spotlight, but realized our own pizza ideal involves a more deliberate mingling of flavors and textures. AKA we thought it needed garlic and bacon.<br />
<br />
First, we chopped fresh garlic, tossed it lightly with extra virgin olive oil and put it in a little tin foil packet on the pizza stone while the oven preheated.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrwDoLtFSHyx5mRtdSK6aXL1enhw49syAC-Yy7PM7Olr-LwPMd2ow8o_yYwgMR1U8AdZH9SOjxVBDoTYjnvDC19YjUjenK1LqAcRlyY82oJ-KWL7KT0Yy3tZQ1_zSfO9tMs_MEE4oKx4/s1600/asparaguspizza07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrwDoLtFSHyx5mRtdSK6aXL1enhw49syAC-Yy7PM7Olr-LwPMd2ow8o_yYwgMR1U8AdZH9SOjxVBDoTYjnvDC19YjUjenK1LqAcRlyY82oJ-KWL7KT0Yy3tZQ1_zSfO9tMs_MEE4oKx4/s400/asparaguspizza07.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Then we par-cooked a couple strips of bacon (can be done either in the microwave or on the stove), just enough to make it edible, but not enough to be crispy. (Yet.) For vegetarians, the pizza would still be delicious without the bacon.<br />
<br />
Next there was the matter of preparing the asparagus. I followed smitten kitchen's recommendation to use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus into long strips. The result was attractive, but the process was tedious and my vegetable peeler seemed inadequate for the task, so in a pinch I think the right food processor attachment could speed up the job. If you do it by hand, you'll want to hold the asparagus by the tough end of the stalk (the part you would usually cut off), lay it flat on a cutting board, and shave from the base of the stalk to the tip.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdxh5YrIDlN22Sitgx3FiLg0lLeKEQSjOgaYOXTffqDzFnoFfWOEtgKL9fpyzRiRWW4ikKPg3yYc0ziNaB9rfNt4edlaa9x0x445Dc3nnnv6-A2qa-DPwi6ZLnHyDf90A8YpUXxEfkUM/s1600/asparaguspizza02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdxh5YrIDlN22Sitgx3FiLg0lLeKEQSjOgaYOXTffqDzFnoFfWOEtgKL9fpyzRiRWW4ikKPg3yYc0ziNaB9rfNt4edlaa9x0x445Dc3nnnv6-A2qa-DPwi6ZLnHyDf90A8YpUXxEfkUM/s400/asparaguspizza02.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCUOCFoeYUfcEThtuLO5rV3IE6ZvlUx9Wyxhfs8P11fwaYIjgSQJAmQbl4o7z6jH7szdv5A2WDjJmeRMb01TbxAElW9_tYf225sadhYc9dyVIeGSHTjd93PXxJTG-4YeiddnQkFwXk7I/s1600/asparaguspizza06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCUOCFoeYUfcEThtuLO5rV3IE6ZvlUx9Wyxhfs8P11fwaYIjgSQJAmQbl4o7z6jH7szdv5A2WDjJmeRMb01TbxAElW9_tYf225sadhYc9dyVIeGSHTjd93PXxJTG-4YeiddnQkFwXk7I/s400/asparaguspizza06.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
We also opted to feature more Parmesan saltiness and less mozzarella gooeyness on this one. The rest of the pizza came together easily and tastily, the perfect springtime pizza. I confess, I might have had <i>third</i> helpings...<br />
<br />
<b>TOPPINGS</b> (layered in this order):<br />
<ol>
<li>par-baked <a href="http://pizzayourface.blogspot.com/2011/06/simple-crust.html">simple crust</a></li>
<li>drizzle of extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li>generous spread of freshly grated Parmesan cheese</li>
<li>light dusting of shredded mozzarella cheese</li>
<li>pile of shaved asparagus, tossed with extra virgin olive oil and a dash of lemon juice, and seasoned to taste with salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes</li>
<li>chopped scallions</li>
<li>roasted garlic</li>
<li>chopped, par-cooked bacon (optional; if you omit the bacon, add an extra dash of salt)</li>
</ol>
Bake at 450° F for about 9 minutes, until the bacon starts getting crispy and the crust edges have browned. Top with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2B1eS0uxuFTNcJ0XfewC3RNyye8Ez4oR3t2jftEZuqTge-4Sm3GMJpxszxGeOCw741qrAlFQeEt8MB6ei-jNkx82kD2O6BqdAGIPo6yzxu4YNXCD4nMGEoahHZUbDHA0RkcMxlXeEflY/s1600/asparaguspizza08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2B1eS0uxuFTNcJ0XfewC3RNyye8Ez4oR3t2jftEZuqTge-4Sm3GMJpxszxGeOCw741qrAlFQeEt8MB6ei-jNkx82kD2O6BqdAGIPo6yzxu4YNXCD4nMGEoahHZUbDHA0RkcMxlXeEflY/s400/asparaguspizza08.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
pizzayourfacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809735412282148242noreply@blogger.com1