Mozzarella, Prosciutto, Egg and Arugula Pizza

Mozzarella, Prosciutto, Egg and Arugula Pizza
As shared from the kitchen of Mari @ Once Upon a Plate (www.onceuponaplate1.com)
Adjust ingredient amounts according to size and number of your pizzas, and how much topping you like on each (it's best to apply cheese and prosciutto sparingly.)
First, make the Garlic Butter (makes enough for two 10"-12" pizzas):

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup softened butter  (2 tablespoons per pizza)

pinch of sea salt

Mix above ingredients together and set aside

Olive oil pizza dough (click here for recipe)

OR ~  use your favorite recipe

Toppings:

Garlic Butter

Salt and pepper

Sliced fresh mozzarella cheese

prosciutto, thinly sliced

generous handful of fresh arugula (rocket lettuce)

1 raw egg for each pizza

To make the pizzas:  

Gather and prepare topping ingredients.

Preheat pizza stone on oven rack in the bottom third of oven to 550°F, or heat pizza stone on outdoor covered grill. 

-Sprinkle pizza peel with cornmeal to prevent dough from sticking. (May use flour instead of cornmeal.)  

-Form pizza dough into a 10 to 12-inch round

-Sprinkle salt and pepper over the dough

-Spread dough with about 2 tablespoons of the garlic butter, almost to the edges

  Note: It's best to add cheese and meat (or other toppings) sparingly so pizza will cook    quickly and evenly

-Arrange a few slices of mozzarella over the garlic butter

-Top with a couple of slices of torn prosciutto

Slide pizza onto the hot pizza stone and bake for approximately 6 to 8 minutes, open the oven/grill and crack an egg over the middle of the pizza, close door/lid and continue baking for a minute or two until the pizza crust is golden, the cheese is melted and bubbling and the egg is just set. Remove pizza from oven/grill, allow to cool for a few moments, then scatter arugula over, slice and serve.

Enjoy!

Cherry Tomato, Cheese and Herb Pizzettas (5" to 6" mini pizzas)

Cherry Tomato, Cheese and Herb Pizzettas (5" to 6" mini pizzas)
As shared from the kitchen of Once Upon a Plate by Mari
www.onceuponaplate1.com
Makes 6 to 8 pizzettas (depending upon how dough is divided)
Dough Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
1 cup lukewarm water
2 1/2 cups (375g) 00 flour* and more as needed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Mix Dough:
Mix yeast, sugar and water in a bowl; stir to combine and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes until bubbles appear on surface.
In a large bowl place flour, salt and olive oil and make a well in the center ~ add the yeast mixture and combine together with your well floured hands. Mix until a dough forms.  Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead for 4 minutes or so until dough is smooth and elastic.
Divide dough into 6 to 8 equal pieces, place on lightly floured tray and cover with a clean damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes or until portions have doubled in size.
Form each dough ball into a round and roll/stretch/pat out on a lightly floured surface.
Pizzetta toppings:
Mozzarella, fresh or aged, or a combination
Cherry tomatoes, some whole, some split in half, (and some on trusses/vine if desired.)
Olive oil
Salt Pepper
Herbs, dried or fresh
Optional:  Capers, rinsed, sliced or chopped flavorful olives, sliced hot pepper such as serrano or jalapeno.
To assemble and bake Pizzettas: 
Preheat oven to 425˚ F
Brush baking tray with oil, place shaped pizzetta dough on oiled tray. Top dough with a thin drizzle of olive oil, mozzarella, salt and pepper place in oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove tray from oven - sprinkle cherry tomatoes (& tomatoes on trusses if using) over cheese, (and dried herbs, if using), drizzle with olive oil. Return to oven & continue baking until tomatoes are heated through and shriveling, cheese has melted and pizzetta crust is golden brown.  Remove pizzettas from oven and if using FRESH herbs, sprinkle over top,  and optional garnishes if desired.  Serve right away.

If you use tomatoes still on the vine, just pull the vine stem and the tomatoes usually release very easily. ;)
Makes 6 to 8 small pizzas.

* 00 flour is superfine flour, preferred for pizza dough ~ it's wonderful stuff!
I cannot source it locally so I buy it from amazon.com, Ten 2.2 pound bags.

Pizza dough recipe adapted from Donna Hay.

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Grilled-Chicken Alfredo Sauce Pizza

Grilled-Chicken Alfredo Sauce Pizza
As shared from the Kitchen of Once Upon a Plate

Makes one 13-inch pizza (or two smaller pizzas)

Note: I assemble my pizzas on a wooden or metal pizza peel dusted with cornmeal to facilitate transferring the pizza to the hot baking stone in the oven. Alternately you can assemble your pizza on large baking sheet (turned upside down), and dusted with cornmeal for transfer to the hot oven. You can spread the Alfredo sauce directly on the raw dough, but I usually pre-bake my pizza crust for 2 to 3 minutes before adding the toppings, and that's what I did this time as well.

For the chicken:
1 large boneless skinless chicken breast (half of a full breast), brushed with oil, salted, peppered then grilled until just done. Cool, then chop or shred into small bite-sized pieces. (Or you may use leftover, cooked chicken for the topping.)

For the "Alfredo" sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan


The toppings:

The "Alfredo" sauce
Cooked chicken
1 cup grape tomatoes, red and yellow
1 cup grated mozzarella, fresh or aged
fresh basil leaves, or baby spinach leaves; washed and blotted dry
Olive oil, for brushing crust

approximately 1 pound pizza dough, (your choice- whole wheat or white flour dough)
shaped into a 13"-diameter disc, or two smaller discs if you prefer.
cornmeal or seminola flour for dusting the pizza peel

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to the middle position with pizza stone on the rack. Preheat oven to 450* (F) Allow to heat for at least 30 to 45 while assembling the pizza.


Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir just until fragrance is released. Add the flour and stir for a minute or two until flour is cooked and just beginning to color, watch carefully (do not brown.) Whisk in the cream, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and taste for salt. Season lightly with salt if desired, and pepper.

Generously dust pizza peel or inverted baking sheet with cornmeal (or seminola). Place pizza dough on top, ladle desired amount of Alfredo sauce on top, covering nearly to the edges. Sprinkle basil, or spinach leaves over, then tomatoes, grilled chicken and the mozzarella. Brush the edge of pizza with olive oil, and sprinkle entire pizza with a little coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.

With a quick, confident jerking motion move the assembled pizza to the hot baking stone. Bake the pizza until crisp and golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with additional basil or spinach leaves. Allow to cool for a moment, then slice and enjoy.

Offer grated Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes when serving, if desired.

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No Cook Pizza Sauce

No Cook Pizza Sauce

Recipe from Thibeault's Table

I doubt you'll go back to store-bought pizza sauce once you try this no-cook pizza sauce created and shared by my friend Ann on her blog Thibeault's Table.

This is a recipe Ann devised after experimenting with several versions over the years. It is fabulous, and you can adjust the amount and ratio of herbs and seasonings according to your own preferences. It's my go-to pizza sauce.


1 -28 ounce can quality Italian Tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
fennel seed
oregano
Basil
2 to 3 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Puree tomatoes with the minced garlic. Grind the fennel seeds. Add the seeds and the oregano, basil, and the olive oil and mix together.

Ann notes that she uses a stick blender and blends all of these ingredients right in the can.

If you try Ann's recipe, I hope you like it as much as I do.

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Fast, Thin and Crispy Crust Pizza

This is the recipe my family always uses when we need a fast pizza dough, it requires virtually no rise-time and bakes up firm and very crisp.

But don't worry if you want to make it ahead, or if you have left over dough, just form into a ball (or balls) and wrap in cling film and store in the refrigerator up to one day, or freeze for longer storage. (See below for directions.)

Fast Pizza Dough
Yields 1 large, 2 medium, or 4 small pizza crusts

Preheat oven t0 500* (F), preferably with a Pizza Stone in place.

Ingredients:
Scant 1 Tablespoon active Quick Rise* dry yeast, or 1 packet
Pinch granulated sugar
3/4 cup very warm (not hot) water
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional: may mix in 1 tablespoon olive oil to the dough mixture
Pizza sauce and toppings of your choice
In a small bowl or glass measuring cup dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water, stir and set aside for 10 minutes. Mixture should begin to bubble and foam at the end of the time (indicating that the yeast is activated & alive.)
In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt, set aside.
Add the liquid yeast mixture (and olive oil if using) to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
Flour a work surface and knead dough for a couple of minutes until smooth and elastic.
Shape the dough into 1 large, 2 medium, or 4 small pizzas using whatever method you prefer; rolling pin, stretching or off the board between your two hands, in the air.
If you have a pizza peel, sprinkle lightly with corn meal and build your pizza. If not, lightly grease a flat cookie sheet (or inverted jelly roll pan) and build your pizza.
I brush the formed dough very lightly with olive oil (optional), then pizza sauce (not too generously), cheese then any other other ingredients. Keep toppings rather sparse if you want a really crispy crust.

Bake in hot oven until as crispy as desired. Usually 8 to 12 minutes, but this will vary depending upon pizza stone vs. pan and the toppings you have chosen.
You can also make this in a food processor ~
Mix the water, sugar and yeast as directed in a small container.
Place flour and salt in bowl of processor and pulse a few times to mix. Add the liquid yeast mixture (and olive oil, if using) and pulse until blended; adding more flour until mixture just forms a ball and the dough follows the blade around the bowl. (Additional flour is needed when using food processor method, because you are not hand-kneading on a floured board). To remove from food processor bowl, flour your hands well, form dough into a ball (or balls) and shape as directed.
* I have made this with regular active, dry yeast and instant yeast with very little difference in outcome. For the past couple of years I have been purchasing SAF Instant yeast in bulk exclusively, so that is what I always use.
Notes for making dough ahead, (or for leftover dough):
If dough has been refrigerated, unwrap, and place on a lightly floured surface, cover lightly with a floured cloth or cling film and allow to come to room temperature before forming the dough.
If frozen, loosen cling film (but keep covered so it doesn't dry out and form a 'skin') allow to thaw in refrigerator, then bring to room temperature and form dough.

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My favorite (somewhat more healthful) Pizza Crust so far

I've tried all kinds of whole wheat pizza crust recipes, most to mixed reviews. Some are just too heavy and dry, others flabby, or too sweet, and some just downright tough, or have all the charm and taste of a piece of cardboard.

After experimenting for a while with the proportions of whole wheat to white flour this one is my family's favorite, even kids like this one ~ and I'm so pleased to share it with you.

No rising time is necessary, also see tips below for making it ahead and freezing.
Favorite Pizza Dough using Whole Wheat Flour

From the kitchen of Once Upon a Plate

1 cup whole wheat white flour
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon fast-rise dry active yeast
2 tablespoon olive oil (may substitute vegetable oil of your choice)
1 teaspoon salt
1 to 3 teaspoons white sugar (I use 1 teaspoon)
1 cup warm water, about 110*

Method:

Preheat oven with baking stone 500 to 550 degrees (F) for at least 1/2 hour. *
See important note below.

Combine flour, salt, sugar and yeast in food processor fitted with metal blade, or stand mixer fitted with dough hook, pulse or blend for a moment until combined. Mix oil and warm water and add to flour mixture. If using food processor, process or until dough ball forms.

At this point you may form pizza immediately, or allow to rise for 30 to 45 minutes before shaping if that is more convenient. *

To form the pizza, stretch the dough as thin as possible, or roll out on a lightly floured board. It's your choice; make one large pizza, 2 medium, or several smaller pizzas.

Because we like a crisp crust, I prebake the pizza without any toppings for a couple of minutes, then remove it from oven, apply toppings then return to oven to continue baking until the crust is crisp and begins to brown. I use a pizza peel very lightly sprinkled with corn meal to transfer the pizza to and from the oven; a rimless cookie sheet, or thin, flexible cutting board also works well in lieu of a pizza peel.

* For my small family I usually make the entire recipe, then use the amount of dough I need immediately, and form the remainder of the dough into a ball, (or balls). Wrap each ball well in oiled cling film, twist to close and place the balls into a resealable plastic bag and place in the freezer for up to 2 to 3 months.

To use, remove from freezer and allow to thaw completely either in the refrigerator, or at room temperature, you can use it immediately upon thawing, or allow it to rise until doubled, then form the pizza dough.

* If you do not have a baking stone, preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F) and you bake the pizza on a metal baking sheet for 20 to 25 minutes, or until done to your liking.

If you try this recipe, I hope you enjoy it!

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Lahmahjoon (Armenian-style Pizza)

These savory "pizzas" are spread with a tomato and lamb topping, then cut into wedges to serve.

They can be served hot or cold, cut into wedges as an appetizer, or put some tender greens, (and other salad makings if you like), in the middle and fold over like a taco for a delicious meal. You can sustitute ground beef instead of ground lamb, if you prefer.



There are several versions/variations of Lahmahjoon. The first time I made it I followed a different recipe, I made my own flatbread but the raw-meat topping was spread on very thinly and allowed to bake to cook throughly right on the bread. But this time I used store bought, fresh naan (Indian flatbread), cooked the topping separately then spread it on thickly and baked the breads on an oiled baking sheet in a hot (450-degree F) oven until hot and slightly crisp.



I like to add some plain yogurt and a few toasted pinenuts when I serve them. Thick Greek yogurt works best. If you have regular yogurt, drain in a paper towel (or cheese cloth) lined sieve/strainer, allow to drain over a bowl for at least 30 minutes or longer, some of the whey will drain out and as it does the yogurt will thicken.

Lahmahjoon
(Armenian-style Pizza)

4 Servings

1 pound lean ground lamb (or beef)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon dried Oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves (authentic, but in winter my garden mint is not of good quality so I omit.)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

several shakes of dry Za'tar *
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or a couple of shakes of Tabasc0 (optional, but I always add)
4 authentic Armenian flatbreads, pita breads, fresh naan, or fluffy tortillas

DIRECTIONS

Place ground lamb in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and break into small pieces until mostly browned. Drain any excess grease. Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent. Stir in diced tomatoes and tomato paste, then season with parsley, basil, mint, cumin, and if using, cayenne. Simmer for about 5 minutes, mixture should be thick and nearly smooth. Remove from heat, cover, and refrigerate overnight to blend the flavors. (When I'm in a hurry, I skip the chilling step.)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Distribute the lamb mixture evenly over the tortillas, and spread out to the edges. Place the tortillas onto a baking sheet.
Bake for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven and place the lahmahjoons onto a large piece of aluminum foil so that two of them are meat side to meat side, then stack the pairs together, and bring the foil up over the top to keep warm. These can be served hot or cold. Cut into small wedges.

*Za'tar seasoning:

For this recipe I simply use Penzey's dry shake, right from the jar. However, you can make your own:

Za'tar
(Recipe from In Mama's Kitchen website)

"Most za’tar is consumed as a condiment, made by grinding hyssop leaves to a coarse, aromatic, brownish green powder then mixing the pwder with olive oil, toasted sesame seeds, sumac, chickpeas, and wheat. If you can't get hyssop, substitute thyme."

1/2 cup dried hyssop (or thyme)
1/4 cup sumac
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Put the sesame seeds on a small sheet pan or pie plate and toast for 6 minutes. Combine hyssop or thyme, sumac, salt, parsely, and sesame seeds and grind into a fine powder in a spice mill. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 months.

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