More often then not, we pull a frozen pizza -- Tombstone is our favorite -- from the freezer to bake. However, when I get the energy, inspiration, and encouragement, we will make pizza from scratch. This is a family affair. I prepare the dough and share my favorite basic recipe below which anyone can prepare. My husband stretches and places the dough on the pans, sometimes one large pizza, other times smaller personal pizzas. My daughters place the basic ingredients, and my husband adds ingredients to a portion of the pizza just for us.
Slow Roasted Cherry Tomatoes stretch the last of the summer bounty just a bit longer and make a wonderful pizza topping. They can eaten straight up as a snack or be tossed in pasta or top a cracker and cheese for an appetizer. Their large flavor impact belies how simple they are to make. Further, Slow Roasted Cherry Tomatoes make a beautiful, colorful gift in a Mason jar tied with a ribbon for the holidays or to have on hand as a hostess gift anytime. I look for an heirloom variety of cherry tomatoes for a spectrum of color and am always sure to save the olive oil used for storing as it is also flavorful for other dishes.
Slow Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Halve a pint of cherry tomatoes. Toss with olive oil, garlic, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste until well coated and thoroughly combined. You may also sprinkle them with freshly chopped herbs of choice. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake at 225°F for 2 to 4 hours. Time varies due to size and moisture content of cherry tomatoes. You want them to be shriveled, slightly moist, and lightly browned. Use immediately or cool and store covered in olive oil in the refrigerator.
Pizza Crust
1 tablespoon active dry yeast (one package)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ⅓ cups warm water (100° to 120°)
3 cups unbleached white bread or pastry flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 to 2 cups unbleached white bread or pastry flour for
kneading
- Stir
yeast into sugar and warm water and set aside to proof until it bubbles
and foams, usually about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Stir
in flours, salt, and pepper and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Mix well, adding
flour if necessary so that the dough is not sticky, forms a ball, and can
be handled. Knead dough by pressing ball flat with the heels of your
hands, folding it over and pressing down again until flat, and so on for
about 10 minutes. Add flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Place
ball of kneaded dough in a large bowl lightly oiled with remaining
teaspoon olive oil and cover with a towel. Set aside to rise in a warm,
draft-free place until doubled in size, usually 40 to 60 minutes.
- While
dough is rising, prepare toppings.
- Punch
down risen dough and knead for a couple of minutes, adding flour to keep
dough from sticking to the board or your hands. Cut dough in half to make
tow crusts. (Dough may now be frozen. Punch it down and either roll it out
or form ball to be re-kneaded and rolled out into the desired shape after
thawing. It takes about 2 hours at room temperature for ball of dough to
defrost. After re-kneading, adding flour if needed, and rolling out thawed
dough, let it rise for about a half hour before baking.)
- With your hands or a rolling pin, shape each half of the dough into a 12- to15-inch rectangle or circle. Press down and out from the center of dough until crust has reached the desired thickness. Place dough on a lightly oiled pan and let it rise for about 15 minutes. Add toppings. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 425°, until bottom of crust is golden and dough is firm throughout.
Yield: Two 12- to 15-inch pizza crusts
Note: Be creative and substitute in ½ cup of your favorite
flour (such as rye flour, cornmeal, or even ground oatmeal, for example) for ½
cup of the white flour.
Moosewood Restaurant New Classics by The Moosewood
Collective
