Category Archives: Italian

Margherita Pizza with Crushed Tomato Sauce

August 3, 2013

margherita pizza

We’ve lived in Chicago for over a year now. It’s not our permanent home (the location of which is far from figured out yet) but we’re embracing our short time here. There are a few many aspects of city living I could do without. The traffic, the noise, and general lack of space. Some days I miss the ease of suburban living. This city is old, expensive, and crowded. But it’s fantastic. There’s always something to do, to explore. But, of course, what I love most is the food. Endless restaurants and cafes and cuisines… it would take a lifetime to eat my way through this city.

This is the land of the deep dish. But pizza is where Chicago and I disagree. I’ve tried a handful of famous stuffed-crust pies and determined that it’s not my thing. They’re good. But with that thick butter crust and obscene amount of meat and cheese, daresay they’re too much of a good thing. Pass the thin crust please.

I’ve never been to Italy and experienced the real thing. Someday- that’s my dream. In the meantime, though, this is what I make. Neapolitan-style pizza at home. You only need some dough (try homemade- it’s easier than you think!), tomatoes (this recipes uses canned and can be enjoyed all year round), fresh mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves. Add a hot oven and pizza stone (highly recommended for achieving the perfect puffed crust) and your perfect pizza awaits.

(NOTE that this sauce makes enough to top 2 pizzas. Any leftover sauce is also excellent on pasta.)

Margherita Pizza with Crushed Tomato Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pizza dough*
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano (or 1 tsp. dried)
pinch crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), drained and hand crushed
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 0z. fresh mozzarella, water drained and torn or thinly sliced*
bunch fresh basil*

*Dough, mozzarella, and basil can be doubled if you want to make 2 pizzas and use all the sauce.

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. While the dough is rising, prepare the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, thyme, and oregano and cook until fragrant. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and season with crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Lower the heat and simmer for about eight minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavor. Set aside to cool until ready to use.

3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

4. Spread sauce over top of the prepared crust (you will have more sauce than you need for one pizza). Top with mozzarella and basil leaves. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil (optional) and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5. Bake in preheated oven on pizza stone for 8-10 minutes, until crust is puffed and golden brown and cheese is bubbling.

Makes 1 large pizza (sauce makes enough for 2 pizzas).

(Adapted from Tyler Florence, Food Network)

Baked Chicken Meatballs

June 29, 2013

bake chicken meatball
I know I’ve been sporadic at posting over the last year or two. (I blame pregnancy, baby, moving, etc. etc.) But lately I’ve been motivated to get back here more frequently and put more effort into this space of mine. I started this recipe journal 4 1/2 years ago. 600 recipes later I’m still here and still loving it. I think it’s ready for some improvements though. I’ve started the process of moving over to WordPress (which I currently know nothing about so I have some homework to do). I’m planning to revamp the recipe archives and add print features. And I have a few other exciting ideas! So if I seem absent for a week or two you’ll know why. I’m working hard behind the scenes.To tide you over until then, I made some meatballs. Mmmmm. With chicken and bacon (or pancetta if you’re feeling fancy). I made them with the pancetta (and I’ve never paid so much $$$ for such a tiny slice of meat before). And they turned out wonderful but I think bacon would do the trick. My only plea is that you don’t use ground chicken breast. It’s just too lean and won’t result in these impossibly succulent and juicy little gifts. They would be awesome over a bowl of pasta or on a toasted baguette. We devoured them with garlic mashed cauliflower (recipe coming soon) and roasted asparagus spears.

Baked Chicken Meatballs

INGREDIENTS

3 slices Italian bread, torn into small pieces (1 cup) (I used whole wheat bread)
1/3 cup milk
3 oz. pancetta or bacon, finely diced
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large egg
1 lb. ground chicken (I used ground chicken thigh)
2 Tbsp. tomato paste, divided
3 Tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

2. Soak bread in milk in a small bowl until softened, about four minutes. Squeeze bread to remove excess milk; discard milk.

3. Cook pancetta (or bacon), onion, garlic, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper in 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat until the onion is softened and the pancetta has rendered some of its fat, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

4. In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg and combine it with the ground chicken, 1 Tbsp. tomato paste, parsley, bread, and pancetta mixture. Form into about 15 meatballs and arrange on the prepared baking pan.

5. Combine the remaining Tbsp. tomato paste with a drizzle of olive oil and brush over top of the meatballs.

6. Bake in the preheated oven until the meatballs are just cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Makes about 15 meatballs, serves 4.

(Adapted from Gourmet via Smitten Kitchen)

Pesto, Chicken, and Red Grape Pizza

June 17, 2013

pesto chicken grape pizza recipe

Coming to you from a new kitchen. A cute new kitchen. With ample counter space and sunlight streaming in. And a big pretty fridge. Still not enough cupboard space. (But that’s probably my problem. When you move and the majority of your boxes are labeled “kitchen”, you have too many serving platters and cooking gadgets.) Despite the lack of space and similar inconveniences we’ve come to accept with city life, we’re happy in our new place.

Naturally, pizza was the first thing I made. This unusual spin on chicken pesto pizza includes grapes! Sounds crazy but tastes amazing. It’s garlicky and cheesy (fresh mozzarella oozing all over the place) and sweet. I used my own pesto recipe but feel free to buy it prepared. I didn’t include amounts for the toppings because when I’m throwing them on a pizza, I rarely measure. Plus it all depends on how big your crust is and how much you want to pile on top. It’s pizza. So it’s hard to go wrong.

Pesto, Chicken, and Red Grape Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pizza dough
prepared basil pesto (purchased or make your own)
seedless red grapes, halved
shredded boneless skinless rotisserie chicken
fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
freshly ground black pepper
green onions, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare dough according to recipe directions.

2. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

3. Top prepared crust with a thin layer of basil pesto. Top with grapes, chicken, garlic, and mozzarella. Sprinkle with Parmesan or Romano cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and green onions (reserve some to add after baking).

4. Bake on preheated pizza stone for 8-10 minutes until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Sprinkle with reserved green onions; slice, and serve.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Israeli Couscous Salad with Smoked Paprika, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella

May 20, 2013

isreali couscous tomato mozzarella recipe

Here’s another Giada recipe. (Four of the last five I’ve posted have been hers- not purposefully.) And I have another one I made today that’s on its way. I must be inspired by her use of fresh healthy ingredients. It’s almost summer after all. Time for meals from the garden (or farmers market if you live in the city and don’t have a single square foot of soil to call your own). And cooking and dining outdoors.

We had our first barbecue with friends last weekend. And this salad was my contribution. Trying something new to serve at a gathering is a bit risky. (I’ve had my share of public failures, too.) But this time I got lucky. This dish was phenomenal! Just the right thing to serve with burgers hot off the grill.

Israeli couscous is actually a type of pasta. The mini balls are made with semolina flour. And they’re hard to find, but they also make them with whole wheat! All of the ingredients listed below (including an 8-oz. box of the couscous) can be found on a trip to Trader Joes. Regular (not white) balsamic vinegar can be used in a pinch, but white is preferred for its lighter taste and coloring. The smoked paprika (which can be found at almost any grocery store now days) is essential though. Might as well buy a big jar- you’ll want to add it to everything. (I practically do.)

Israeli Couscous Salad with Smoked Paprika, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/3 cups (8 oz.) Israeli couscous, also known as pearl couscous or maftoul (whole wheat if you can find it)
generous pinch salt
2 cups packed baby spinach leaves, chopped
12 oz. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cubed (or 4 oz. feta, crumbled)
1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and diced
1/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped (or fresh mint)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the coucous, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Cook the couscous, stirring frequently, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water and the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the couscous is just tender and the liquid is absorbed, 9 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. To make the dressing, whisk the oil, vinegar, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.

3. Mix together the spinach, tomatoes, cheese, peppers, parsley, almonds and basil in a large bowl. Add the couscous and the dressing. Toss until all the ingredients are coated. Season to taste with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed. Transfer to a large serving bowl and serve. (Can be prepared ahead of time and served chilled.)

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from Food Network)

Pesto and Roasted Vegetable Pizza

February 3, 2013

My gym shares a parking garage with Whole Foods. The elevator (I’m not about to lug an 18 lb. baby + 10 lb. diaper bag + groceries down and up all those stairs) deposits you in the Whole Foods lobby (which you then have to exit and cross the street to access the gym and return through on your way back). I’m suspicious that the two have teamed up to keep each other in business. If the intense aroma of baked goods wafting through the parking deck doesn’t prevent you from reaching the gym in the first place, you’ll surely succumb when you’re ravenous post-workout. I can’t decide if this situation is perfectly convenient or entirely hazardous- for my budget and my body. I love being able to pick up a few groceries without making an extra trip. But I can always find a reason to go in and end up with a few more goodies than intended. I might be able to resist the cookies, but I usually come out with a loaf or two of bread and a new variety of cheese or a roll of sushi.

One day, being particularly hungry, I grabbed a slice of sweet potato spinach lasagna to take home for lunch. It looked and sounded delicious- two favorite vegetables layered with pasta and bubbling cheese. And then I took my first bite to realize that this was no normal lasagna. A quick inspection of the ingredients list revealed that it was in fact vegan. Layers of tofu replaced the pasta and cheese and what I thought was little flecks of Parmesan on top was nutritional yeast. (The vegetables did turn out to be real.) I still ate it. And it wasn’t completely disgusting- just extremely disappointing for a cheese-loving girl like me. (And hopefully really good for me.)

And then there was the day I picked up a slice of this pizza. Quite the opposite experience. Aside from a mediocre crust, I was wowed. There was a generous layer of basil pesto and chopped roasted vegetables topped with genuine melted mozzarella. Mmmmhhh. I knew at once I’d be recreating it at home. And so here it is.

I roasted a combination of bell peppers, summer squash, eggplant, mushrooms and onion. And had a pile of leftover vegetables which I’ve been adding to sandwiches, omelets, and quesadillas throughout the week (so clearly not a problem). I purchased a container of pesto at the store, but homemade would be even better. For half of the pizza I combined the mozzarella with Parmesan and on the other half I added goat cheese. Both were excellent so no recommendation there. I didn’t provide exact amounts in the ingredients because I didn’t measure anything. The more veggies and cheese the better, I say.

Pesto and Roasted Vegetable Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pizza dough
combination of roasting vegetables, diced (I used red and yellow bell peppers, yellow squash and zucchini, eggplant, cremini mushrooms, red onion)
olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
~ 2 cups mozzarella, grated
freshly grated Parmesan or goat cheese, crumbled
pesto (jarred or homemade– I used half of a 7 oz. container)

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare dough according to recipe directions.

2. Meanwhile (or ahead of time), to roast vegetables preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet (or two baking sheets if you have a lot of vegetables) with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and tender.

3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

4. Top prepared crust with a thin layer of pesto, the roasted vegetables, mozzarella and Parmesan (or goat cheese).

5. Place on pizza stone and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the crust is puffed and golden and the cheese is bubbling.

Makes 1 large pizza.