Wednesday, July 27, 2011

"Sweet Tomatoes' Recipes

PIZZA DOUGH (from a recipe in the St. Pete Times Parade, by Bobby Flay....a chef I really respect!):

3 1/2 -4 cups Bread flour
1 tsp sugar
1 envelope instant dry yeast (I use the dry yeast in a jar---2 1/4 tsp)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

First: Make a "sponge": Put 1/2 cup of the bread flour into a big bowl. Pour on the yeast. Add the sugar. Then add the water. Stir around with a (preferably) wooden spoon. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then a dish towel and let rest for 10 minutes, allowing to "proof".
You will notice that yeast has "proofed" because the mixture will be foamy/poofy....obviously more "grown" than when you started. Once proofed, add 1 cup of the flour, then add the olive oil....mix in. Then add the remaining 2 cups flour with the salt on top, then mix in. Mix up in bowl, then turn out onto lightly floured countertop. Mix around and knead, using as little flour as possible (for stickiness). Pour a dollop of olive oil in bowl and put kneaded dough on top. Turn dough (to expose oiled side), and spread oil around to edges. Then wrap with plastic wrap and towel. Let rest in warm place for about an hour. You will see that it has expanded by about double. Turn it out onto a lighty-floured countertop. Divide the dough in half. Each half will make 1 large pizza. You can choose to either make 2 pizzas or to only make 1 pizza right now, and freeze the other half for later. If you freeze the other half, take a gallon freezer bag, spritz it will an oil spray (either a "misto" pump with olive/canola oil) or PAM, throw a handful of flour in the bag, seal the bag and shake it around to coat the bag evenly with flour. Then insert the extra ball of dough and immediately freeze for use another time. ....For making pizza now: HAVE a PIZZA STONE on the bottom rack in the oven and "preheat" the oven to 500 degrees. Cut a piece of parchment paper to size (per pizza) then "pat" with hands & fingers the dough out to a full, large pizza size. (Press/pat the dough right onto the parchment sheet, don't worry that it will stick). Half a pizza dough will make a large pizza! The dough should be fine to press out (you may need to dip hands/fingers in flour occasionally to prevent sticking).....if the dough becomes really resistant (unusual), you can cover it with the leftover platic wrap & dish towel and let rest for 10 minutes, then continue pressing it out again. Once pressed out to size, spread with sauce, some shredded mozzarella, diced green bell peppers, & diced red onion & ground italian sausage. Then spread with a little more mozzarella shreds, fresh sliced mushrooms, sliced black olives & sliced pepperoni. The sliced pepperoni should be on top so that it "fries/crisps" in the high heat. Trust me. "Pull" the pizza (by the parchment edge) onto a flat-edge cookie sheet or pizza peel. I usually trim the corners of the parchment incase they burn. Slide the parchment with the fresh pizza onto the hot stone in the oven.....I usually just "jiggle/vibrate" the pan to carefully encourage the parchment/pizza off onto the stone. After 10 minutes in the 500 degree oven, the pizza will be done FOR SURE!! Yes, just 10 minutes!! Don your oven mitts with the same cookie sheet (or pizze peel?) and carefully slide the pizza/parchment onto it. I usually slice the pizza directly onto the couter (sans the parchment), let it cool for a minute ( it will still be piping hot), then cut it into pieces. Then you can garnish with hot red pepper flakes and grated parmesan as desired.

FRESH TOMATO PIZZA SAUCE FROM THE GARDEN

Several fresh from-the-vine-tomatoes (plum, grape, etc)
minced garlic
olive oil
red wine (I used a splash of Oak Leaf Shiraz)
dried basil & dried oregano
salt & ground black pepper
a pinch of sugar


Wash the tomates and "process" them in the food processor till "pureed". They will smell awesomely tomatoey!! Heat some olive oil in a pan and scoop in the fresh pureed tomatoes. Stir/sautee' around and add the fresh garlic (just some to taste, like 1/2 - 1 tsp), then a pour of red wine (maybe 1/4 cup or so?), keep stirring around......add a bit of sugar, 1/2 tsp dried basil & 1/4 cup dried oregano (adjusted to taste per amount of tomatoes used!), ground black pepper & salt. Allow to cool, then spread on a pizza(s). Top pizza with whatever toppings you like: Mozzarella, red onion, green bell pepper, sliced mushrooms, black olives, italian sausage & sliced pepperoni.

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