Last weekend I had a few friends over for a casual get-together. Just wanting to enjoy the time with my company - I opted for a quick and fresh dinner! When a fancy dinner just won’t do, pizza is the perfect way to have fun, be creative and get everyone involved in the cooking. Your guests can bring a favorite topping, or a salad item.
Basic Pizza Dough
Makes three 12 inch pizzas
3 ½ cups flour, sifted
1 tbs. evoo (extra virgin olive oil)
1 tbs. salt
1 ½ cups warm water
1 tbs. active dry yeast
• In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast in the warm water, and stir to dissolve it. Set aside until the yeast starts forming bubbles in about 5 minutes
• Sift the flour. Pour the flour into a large bowl or on a work surface. Mold the flour in a mound shape with a hole in the center
• In the center pour the yeast mix, olive oil, and a pinch of salt
• Then mix with your hands to form a dough ball
• On a floured work surface knead the dough briefly with your hands pushing and folding. Knead just long enough for the dough to take in a little more flour, and until it no longer sticking to your hands
• Coat a bowl with evoo and transfer dough into bowl
• Cover the bowl with a tea towel, and set the bowl aside for approximately 1½ – 2 hours until the dough doubles in volume. The time required for rising will depend on the strength of the yeast and the temperature of the room
• When the dough is double its original size, punch it down to eliminate the air bubbles.
• Separate the dough into three even pieces
• Using a rolling pin or your hands work the dough into the shape of your baking sheet
Pizza
4 tablespoons pizza sauce, I tried Casa Visco
1/2 a medium bell pepper julienned
1/2 white button mushrooms, chopped
3 hot sausages, casing removed
1 cup shredded 2% mozzarella
1/3 cup kalamata olives
• Pre-heat oven to 450-475 degrees
• Julienne pepper, chop mushroom, and de-pit olives
• Remove casing from sausage and break a part with fingers
• In a non stick skillet pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Brown the meat and continue to break apart with a spatula
• Roll out dough on a lightly flowered surface
• Remove sausage and drain on a plate lined with paper towel
• Put together pizza- start with sauce, then meat, veggies and finish with cheese
• Bake for 7-8 minutes
• Let rest for 3 minutes before cutting
Serve with a garden salad in pretty bowl, like our new colored bamboo bowls! Add a crisp white wine to the mix- and sit back and enjoy the warm breezes and friendly conversation.
April
Feel Beautiful Live Beautiful Be Beautiful
