Category Archives: Pizza

Chad’s Versatile Pizza Dough

Chad and I met through yoga teacher training a little over two years ago. During our training we learned we were both passionate about cooking and baking for others. Our love language is doing for others.

A few months after the training Chad was asked to cook for a dinner party for some of the teachers at the yoga studio where we practice. He asked me to be his sous chef that evening. Looking back now our first date was technically prepping for a dinner party. We made pizzas for a very special birthday for mutual acquaintances and got lost in the evening. We had so much fun in the kitchen cooking up a storm the evening flew by. We prepped the foods together so seamlessly it was love at first bake.

This recipe is our go to recipe for making pizzas in the ooni oven. We have made it for several occasions. Everyone who tries this pizza loves the dough (texture and taste). I cannot help but think a lot of the flavor has to do with the love that goes into the recipe by the happiness that is created in the kitchen when you are having fun and preparing it with and for the ones you love.

This past Christmas we were in a pinch for a quick homemade bread during the holiday so we made this pizza dough recipe for Christmas Eve. It was a success. How awesome!! One recipe two amazing tasty options for baking.

Below you will find the recipe in both weights and cups. I have learned a lot from Chad with cooking with him in the kitchen. He loves to use his scale for measuring out everything. I have found with using this practice I yield a more consistent product every time. Plus I no longer have to count cups. Sometimes when I count several cups of flour or sugar I lose count and have to start all over. Using a scale eliminates this dilemma.

Special note, once you starting using this recipe you may never order take out pizza again!

This recipe below makes 4 pizza dough balls or one large loaf of bread

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups (342 grams) of bread flour

1 1/2 cup (210 grams) cake flour

1 1/4 cup (296 grams) of warm water (about 90 degrees)

1 tsp ( 4 grams) of yeast

1 tsp (6 grams) kosher salt (diamond)

Directions:

In a small measuring container add the yeast to the warm water, let it set for about 5 minutes or until it blooms. In the meantime, in a stand mixer bowl measure out the flours, and salt. Mix together using dough hook on mixer.

Once the yeast is ready & on a low speed start to add the liquid to the dry ingredients. Slowly increase the speed to medium/medium high. Keep the dough kneading until the dough completely pulls away for the side of the bowl. This can take 6-8 minutes. Once the dough is ready in the stand mixer bowl, form a ball and cover the dough for 90 minutes. I like to place my dough over the radiator heater.

After 90 minutes elapses cut the dough into 4 balls if making pizza. Left each dough rise again for 60 minutes. If you are making pizza after the 60 minutes elapses you can roll out & add your toppings place in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes on a hot pizza stone. I like my oven as hot as it will go so 500 or 550.

Alternative method if you want to make bread:

Start to preheat oven to 500 degrees (halfway through the 90 minute mark) and place a large dutch oven in the oven. The dutch oven should be in the oven for 60 minutes prior to baking the bread (which allows the bread to rise again).

After the 90 minutes time is complete place the dough on parchment paper and back into the mixing bowl. Let the dough rise for 60 minutes.

Tip: After the 60 minute time elapses do not divide the dough. Using a sharp knife deeply score the bread you wish. Using the sides of the parchment paper, place the dough in a hot dutch oven. (Use hot hands gloves or good oven mitts to open the lid and insert the dough). You might need a helper.

Place the lid back on the dutch oven. Change the temperature of the oven to 400 degrees. Let the dough bake for 40 minutes. Do not peek. I repeat do not open the oven or dutch oven during the baking time frame. Once the dough is ready take out of oven and open lid of the dutch oven. You can remove the loaf right away (use the parchment paper sides to pull the bread out of the oven) to a bakers rack and allow to cool completely before diving into it.

Honey Wheat Pizza Crust

Honey Wheat Pizza Dough

Friday night pizza night is my favorite! Growing up this tradition is what my family always did. We would rent movies, order pop, and pizza from our favorite local shop. After we made our movie selection at First Row Video, we would head home and enjoy the night relaxing and laughing in the presence of each others company.

I still love practicing this tradition 30 years later. Even though some things changed such as the movie is generally a netflix selection. Also, now I’ve added the tradition of making the pizza from scratch vs ordering it as take out.

I love this recipe because it makes two doughs which allows for a back up homemade pizza dough to stuff in the freezer and always have on hand.

This recipe yields: 2 Pizza doughs

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water

1 Tablespoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon honey

3 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup wheat flour

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 Tablespoon of olive oil

Directions:

1. Place the first 3 ingredients in a small vessel. I usually use a small glass measuring pitcher. Let the yeast proof for about 5 minutes.

2. Place the remainder of the ingredients in a stand mixer with dough hook and turn the mix on low speed and mix the flour mixture together.

3. Add yeast mixture and oil to dry ingredients and knead with dough hook for 6-8 minutes and work up to medium speed. Once dough forms a ball, Place the dough on lightly floured surface to knead by hand for 30 seconds.

4. Place the dough ball in a canola sprayed glass bowl to allow to double in size (about 60 to 90 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap.

5. Once the dough has doubled in size place it in the refrigerator to ferment for at least 48 hours.

6. Take bowl with dough out of refrigerator to come to room temperature for at least two hours before baking. Please keep plastic cover over dough.

7. Once the time has elasped, Preheat oven to 500 degrees

8. Roll out into deep dish pan or flat pizza stone.

9. Place the toppings to your liking on the dough and bake the pizza for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy.

Pizza Stew

The other day I was meeting with a client and we were talking slow-cookers and warm fall recipes. She explained to me this marvouis idea of pizza soup.

My client went on to tell me she makes the soup thick to serve almost as a gravy over baguettes or crusty bread. Well she had me at slow-cooker and I told her I would have to make this creative twist on a classic comfort food this weekend.

Let me just say it’s so easy… bonus you can all your favorite pizza toppings.

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 8 hours

Yields: 6 servings (1 heaping cup)

Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked crumbled Italian sausage

1 cup cup of Italian hard pepperoni sliced and quartered

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1/2 cup diced red pepper

1/2 cup diced onion

1 (2.25) can of sliced olives, rinsed & drained

1 tablespoon of pizza seasoning

1 large can (22.3 ounce) of condensed tomato soup, healthy request

1 cup of tomato sauce (we used our favorite)

12 ounce of water

1 ounce of pesto (our recipe)

3/4 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

2 large baguette, cut into 2 slices

4 quart slow-cooker

Directions:

1.Place the first 11 ingredients into the slow-cooker & give it a good stir. Place the lid on the vessel. Set the crockpot to low for 8 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to broil. Portion out 6 servings into individual ramekins. Place one piece of baguette into the ramekin to submerge and top with two tables of cheese. Place the ramekins on sheet a baking pan. Allow to bake for 2 minutes. Remove from oven with caution & enjoy!

Molasses Pizza Crust

Oh dear glory ! This is it! You must try this pizza crust! It is the perfect combination of sweet, crunchy and chewy texture.

Have you ever been to Mellow Mushroom? My husband and I fell in love with this pizza restaurant in Franklin, Tennessee. We seek these out when we travel. We love the atmosphere and how you can build your own pizza.

We took that concept to the next level and recently had a party with a build your own pizza bar theme.

This recipe yields 4 personal pizzas

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons molasses

1 1/2 tablespoon yeast

1 1/2 cup warm water (like bath water)

3 1/4 cup Bread Flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Cornmeal for dusting and rolling (freshly ground)

Directions:

1. Place the first three ingredients in a small bowl and allow the yeast to proof.

2. In the meantime, place the flours, salt,and oil in a stand mixer and mix the ingredients on low.

3. Pour the yeast, molasses and water mixture into the mixing bowl with the mixer on low, then turn it to medium low and mix for 5 minutes

4. Cover the bowl and let rise at room temperature for one hour. Punch down the dough and allow it to rise again for about an hour then place it in the fridge overnight to allow it to ferment.

5. Preheat the oven to 500 and place the pizza stone in the oven. Allow the stone to get hot for about an hour at 500 degrees. At this time bring the dough out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature.

6. Dust the surface with a good amount of cornmeal. Remove the dough and cut into 2 or 4 pieces of equal size depending on how many pizzas you want to make. This will make 2 medium pizzas or 4 nice size personal pizzas

7. Roll dough into a circle about 12″ around with a rolling pin and continue dusting with cornmeal as it gets sticky. Poke a lot of holes in the dough with a fork or similar utensil so it does not bubble too much in the oven.

8. Place the dough on a pizza piel and place the dough on the stone in the oven for 4 minutes to par bake the dough

9. Remove the dough to cool on a rack and get ready to place your toppings on your crust

10. Put your favorite pizza ingredients on your crust and return the pizza to the oven for 4-5 minutes

11. Cut your pizza into as many pieces as you would like and enjoy!

Muffuletta Pizza

One of my husband and I’s favorite vacations we went on was New Orleans in 2011. The culture in NOLA is very unique and welcoming. The food is amazing and like no other. We even attending a one of a kind cooking class at the New Orleans Experience to advance our skill-set on Creole Cooking.When we stayed in NOLA, we stayed at a wonderful Bed and Breakfast called Ashtons. In the morning we had an elegant breakfasts and the hostesses even prepared vegetarian entrees for me. For the rest of the day we would scout out local restaurants to eat. One of my husband’s favorite new foods he consumed on the trip was a muffuletta sandwich. The ingredients on a muffuletta vary from where you purchase one; however, one element says the same there is always a marinated olive salad spread topping off the sandwich. There is also some type of pork (ham, prosciutto, mortadella), beef (salami), & a cheese (provolone, swiss, mozzarella) on the sandwich.

Fridays are generally Pizza day at our home (homemade). Growing up Pizza Friday Night was always something I looked forward to as a kid. My mom would get us our favorite pizza and we would go next door to First Row Video and return a movie. It was the only day of the week we were permitted to have pop (and the way it should be), eat in the living room and watch TV at the same time. My husband’s family had a similar tradition with Pizza on Fridays, several years later, my husband and I still practice the tradition and look forward to the occasion.

I have made several variations of muffuletta dishes from pasta to the traditional sandwich, maybe even some muffins. This is a new favorite and a way to honor the tradition of Pizza Friday and take my husband I back to NOLA without a plane ticket.

This pizza recipe yields six slices

Ingredients:

1 lb Pizza Dough, Fresh (link attached my our recipe) or store bought for $1-2 at the deli of the grocery store (If you are using frozen dough make sure to let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight). If using dough that has been in the refrigerator allow the dough to come to room temperature an hour before placing in the preheated oven.

2/3 cup of Jarred Muffuletta Mix

1 Cup of precooked diced ham

1/3 cup of Reduced Fat Feta Cheese, Crumbled

1/3 cup of Italian Blend Shredded Cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Form the dough to fit a deep dish pizza stone. I like to roll my dough out and then press the dough into the dish. Once the dough is rolled out, gently place fork marks randomly to allow the steam to escape during the baking process. If you skip this step large bubbles may appear during the baking process.
Once the dough is ready, place the muffuletta spread evenly on the dough leaving 3/4 of an inch boarder of the dough around the rim for the crust.
Sporadically add the diced ham on top of the muffuletta spread. Place the pizza in the oven and allow it to bake at 500 degrees for 20 minutes.
Remove the dish with oven mitts from the oven. Sprinkle both of the cheeses on-top of the pizza evenly. Return the dish back into the oven to bake for 5 more minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the pizza from the oven place on cutting board and cut pizza to your portion liking and serve.

Reuben Pizza

We had some leftover corned beef last week from St. Patrick’s Day and the question was, how could I repurpose it? I made a super easy corn-beef recipe in my pressure cooker, which I am starting to really like for it’s quick cook times. Now, I still love my crockpot but if you are pinched for time the pressure cooker is the way to go. Since St. Patrick’s day was Thursday this year, the pressure cooker had to be used since I ran to the store after work to purchase the meat and did not have time to let it go low and slow in the crock pot.

My husband loves Rueben’s and Pizza. This is a perfect combo to use the leftovers in a fun way. We generally make a pizza once a week using prepared homemade dough. I usually make 2-4 dough recipes at one time and portion them off and freeze them to last several weeks. It is so inexpensive to make your own dough and it tastes 100% better than the stuff in a can or that’s delivered. You can also buy fresh dough at most deli’s for 1-2 $ a lb. That is if you don’t want to make the dough yourself. Or you can buy frozen dough as well, which can cost just about the same as the fresh; however, the frozen dough you can generally find a coupon in the weekly paper.

Predirections: Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Ingredients:

1 lb of prepared dough, if using frozen make sure it is thawed, I like to pull my out a day in advance

3-4 T Fat Free Thousand Island Dressing

6-7 slices Swiss Cheese, Sliced Thin

1/2-2/3 Cup Sauerkraut (drained very well)

6-8 1/4′ Slices of Leftover Corned Beef (You can always dice this up int small bits it you prefer)

2 tsp. Caraway Seeds

Directions:

Place the dough in a deep dish stoneware dish, spread the dough to the sides and form edges,
Place on top of the dough the thousand island dressing. Spread the dressing to the sides leaving an 1 inch rim of the dough. Sprinkle with caraway seeds.
Place evenly small amounts of sauerkraut on top of the dressing.
Sporadically place the sliced meat over the sauerkraut and place the dish in the oven. Reduce the temperature to 450 degrees and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the dish from the oven and layer with cheese and return to oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Place on cutting board and divide into 6 slices. Enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza

Chicken Cordon Bleu used to be something we made often when my husband and I first got married. Now a days we rarely make this dish. This is a take on one of my husband’s favorite chicken dishes and well who doesn’t love pizza.

This recipe yields 6 slices

Ingredients:

1 lb package of pizza dough or a fresh batch (we make fresh and freeze it)

1/3 – 1/2 cup Alfredo Sauce

1 cup Baby Swiss cheese shredded

1/2 cup cooked cubed ham

1 (6 oz) baked chicken breast seasoned (sliced 1/8 inch thick) I like to season the meat with Penzey’s Ruth Ann’s Muskego chicken and fish seasoning

1/8 cup bread crumbs
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Place the dough in a 12 inch cast iron skillet. Form the dough to fit the pan.

3. Spread the Alfredo sauce on the dough evenly.

4. Evenly distribute the chicken and ham ontop of the sauce. Bake the pizza in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top and return the pizza to the oven for 3 minutes or until the cheese melts.

6. Remove from oven and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

7. Remove the pizza from the cast iron skillet and cut into 6 slices.

Enjoy!

breakfast Stromboli

Josh loves a savory breakfast meal whether it’s for breakfast or dinner. This is a good twist on a breakfast pizza and now a family favorite!

Ingredients:

1 lb of home made pizza dough or frozen (thawed)
1 cup shredded smoked pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup of chopped green pepper
1/4 lb of breakfast sausage
1 egg
1 oz of skim
1/2-1 tsp poultry seasoning ( i used ruth ann’s from penzey’s)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees and place your pizza stone in the oven while it heats. Let it heat for an hour.
2. In a large pan season the sausage with poultry seasoning and brown the sausage until no pink meat remains on medium heat. Once fully cooked pour meat into dish ( I like to line it with paper towel which removes some of the fat). Lightly cook the peppers and place them on top of the cooked sausage.
3. In small bowl mix the milk and egg lightly season with more poultry seasoning. Pour into medium heat skillet and scramble eggs. Once eggs are fully cooked remove from heat and set aside.
4. Take dough and roll it out into a square on a lightly floured surface. Place the meat down evenly in the center of the dough in forming a rectangle. Top with pepper evenly and also with egg evenly. Lastly add the smoked hot pepper cheese. Fold the dough with corners first and the longer sides second. Place the dough fold side down on the hot stone (I like to put cornmeal down to help prevent sticking). Brush with olive oil. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes (until outside becomes lightly brown). Yield: serves 4

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

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Everyone is talking about making pizza without the tradition flour. Plus I keep seeing all these pins on Pinterest for cauliflower pizza. The other day my neighbors next door mentioned they’d like to bake a cauliflower pizza as well. I couldn’t resist any longer . I thought tonight I’d give it a whirl. The original recipe I found on weight watches site but made several changes to add some flavor.

Yields 8 slices of pizza pie.

Ingredients:
3 cups of cauliflower chopped
Four cloves of garlic
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup shredded parm cheese (not kraft)
1/4 cup shredded Fat free mozzarella
1/2 tsp pasta sprinkle
1/4 tsp dried Basil
1/3 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp of mrs dash spicy blend or red pepper flake

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
1. Wash and rinse cauliflower. Dry to remove excess water.

Please cauliflower and garlic in food processor. Food processed until texture looks like snow

Place cauliflower and garlic in food processor and pulse until resembles snow like texture.

Place in glass bowl and microwave for 4 minutes. Let cool and ring out in clean towel to remove the moisture. Trust me you will want to do this step or you will have a soft crust. I tried the first time just blotting with paper towels and it didn’t remove enough of the moisture.

Place the dry ingredients and cauliflower in the same glass bowl (really why waste another).

Mix to fully incorporate.

Add egg substitute and cheese mix.

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Spray with cooking spray parchment lined pizza piel.

Place dough on parchment paper . Spread out the dough with spatula into a circular shape.

Place the dough in oven on the pizza stone. The best thing to do is pull out the wire rack with the pizza stone on and slide the dough onto the stone and push rack bake into oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes

Add your favorite toppings. We added sautéed Swiss chard, mushrooms, garlic, roasted red pepper, hot pepper rings, and onions. My husband added more cheese, but I refrained.

Bake for an addition 5 to 10 minutes or until your cheese has melted to your liking.

Enjoy!

Pizza Shop Dough

This is round two, for my husband and I’s take on our hometown favorite pizza dough. We have so many amazing authentic pizza dough shops back home. This is a classic thicker crust recipe. We believe the key to this one is fermentation.

Ingredients:
4 cups of AP Flour
3/4 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup warm water
3 tsp active dry yeast
4 TB vegetable oil (I’ d rather use canola or olive oil but we are pretty sure the shop uses vegetable)
Canola oil cooking spray

Directions:
Place all the dry ingredients (except for the yeast) in a stand mixer with dough hook.

Now place the yeast in the warm water and let proof for about 5 minutes.

Add yeast mixture and oil to dry ingredients and knead with dough hook for 6-8 minutes and work up to medium speed.

Once dough forms a ball.

Place the dough on lightly floured surface to knead by hand for 30 seconds.

Place the dough ball in a canola sprayed glass bowl to allow to double in size (about 60 to 90 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap.

Once the dough has doubled in size place it in the refrigerator to ferment for at least 48 hours.

Take bowl with dough out of refrigerator to come to room temperature for at least two hours before baking. Please keep plastic cover over dough.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees

Roll out into deep dish pan.

Place the toppings to your liking on the dough and bake the pizza for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy.

A Pinch of Luv

from scratch baking and cooking blog

Category Archives: Pizza

Chad’s Versatile Pizza Dough

Honey Wheat Pizza Crust

Pizza Stew

Molasses Pizza Crust

Muffuletta Pizza

Reuben Pizza

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza

breakfast Stromboli

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Pizza Shop Dough