Category Archives: Pizza

Roasted Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, and Rosemary Pizza

October 11, 2010

I managed to get all of my clothes on right-side-out this weekend, but apparently my streak of embarrassment isn’t over! On Saturday evening we met my family in Charlottesville to go apple picking, which was followed by dinner and walking around UVA enjoying the uncharacteristically warm fall. We left after dark and returned to Richmond for the night. On our way out the front door Sunday morning we were greeted by our car eagerly flashing its emergency lights! At first I thought our little blue civic might have magical powers or that one of the neighborhood cats had set it off. But then we remembered. We had pulled over on the side of the road for a moment the night before, responsibly turned on the blinkers, and then forgot to shut them off. We made the entire hour-long drive home with our emergency lights blaring and not realized it. We then parked our car in front of our house, got ready for bed, and slept soundly all the while our emergency lights flashed on through the night. So if you happened to pass us on Route 64, or drive by our house that night, be assured that there was no emergency. Just us, having a little too much fun blasting club music to notice something silly like that.

I did make it home with 30 lbs. of apples. You know what that means. Apples in everything…! But for now, enjoy one of my other favorite foods of fall- roasted butternut squash. On a pizza no less. With sweet caramelized red onions, fresh rosemary, and sharp Parmesan and Asiago. It’s wonderful.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, and Rosemary Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pizza dough
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
fresh rosemary, chopped
Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
Asiago, freshly grated

Roasted Butternut Squash:
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Caramelized Onions:
2 red onions
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, toss to coat squash and garlic with olive oil. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

3. To caramelize the onions, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and caramelized, 30-40 minutes.

4. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F. Brush the prepared crust with the remaining Tbsp. of olive oil. Sprinkle with a little cheese. Distribute the roasted squash and caramelized onions over the crust. Sprinkle with the freshly chopped rosemary, Parmesan, and Asiago.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and let cool several minutes before slicing.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from All Recipes)

Breakfast Pizza

May 6, 2010

I wish I loved arugula. I wish dirty dishes cleaned themselves. I wish I was more sophisticated (imagine cooking dinner in heels instead of comfy but ruddy pajamas). I wish I could eat pizza every single day and not end up with motherly hips at age 23 24 (I almost forgot my age!). But alas, I do not yet like arugula. And I constantly find myself doing dishes. I still haven’t given up on sophistication- once and a while we drink sparkling fruit juice out of wine glasses. And pizza or not, I’m probably destined to have motherly hips someday. Which makes me wonder, why not have pizza more often?

Pizza for breakfast- ingenious! Pizza for breakfast with bacon and cracked eggs on top- even better. Except we at this for dinner. But no matter. It tasted very much like a big breakfast plate of crispy bacon and cheesy soft-cooked eggs. But it was on a chewy pizza crust sprinkled with a trio of freshly chopped onions. Unique and awesome.

P.S. See that parsley and those chives? They came from my very own little herb garden! Mid-pizza production I stepped outside my back door with my garden gloves and clippers and picked us some fresh pizza toppings. I have a fond affection for my petite plants. No doubt you’ll be hearing lots more about my new garden in the months to come…!

Breakfast Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pizza dough
5 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
5 eggs
2 cups mozzarella, shredded (or a combination of mozzarella and fresh crumbled goat cheese)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Regiano
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. chives, chopped
1 shallot, minced
2 green onions, sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F. Prepare pizza crust according to recipe directions.

3. Sprinkle the cheeses and bacon over the prepared crust. Crack the eggs over the top and season with salt and pepper.

4. Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the crust is golden brown, the cheese is bubbling, and the eggs are cooked through.

5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the parsley, chives, shallot, and green onion. Let cool several minutes before slicing.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Pesto Artichoke Chicken Pizza

March 29, 2010



I made this pizza last year, but I never posted a picture until now. It was tragic, really, that I waited so long. Because I know that recipes require a photo to catch my eye, and you’re probably the same way. If you’re like me, you quickly lose attention flipping through a cookbook that doesn’t have pictures and won’t even consider a blogger recipe that isn’t documented in pixels. So I finally got around to posting the proof that this recipe looks (and incidentally tastes) delicious! This time around I went with a purchased bottle of pesto. But if you’ve never made your own you should give it a try. The homemade pesto on top of this pizza is outstanding!

6/25/09: I’m so frustrated! The few shots I did remember to take of this pizza turned out disastrous. I’m no pro photographer but I know when a photo is unappealing. What’s tragic is that this pizza is very appealing. Chunks of juicy rotisserie chicken and plump pieces of artichoke layered between melted Fontina and mozzarella, all on the most amazing half whole wheat crust ever created. It’s a shame that I can’t show you.

While I love having dinner guests (us “chefs” thrive off of feeding our friends and family), it is a blogging distraction. I’m so focused on getting dinner on the table in a timely fashion, that taking pictures is the last thing on my mind. So if you are ever invited to dine in my kitchen, I ask that you remind me to pull out my camera before we dive in. A recipe without a photo is just no fun.

This was my first homemade pesto. It’s so easy! But it takes a lot of ingredients that you might no always have on hand. So if that’s the case, it’s probably easier (and cheaper) to buy it pre-made. But this was the best pesto I’ve ever had.

Pesto Artichoke Chicken Pizza

INGREDIENTS

Pizza:
1 recipe Pizza Dough
about 1/3 cup basil pesto (recipe below)
about 1 1/2 cups Fontina cheese
about 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 can artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
1 boneless skinless chicken breast half, cooked and chopped (or shredded rotisserie chicken)

Basil Pesto (makes enough for two pizzas):
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare the pizza dough according to directions.

2. While the dough is rising, prepare the pesto. It can be kept in the refrigerator until ready to use.

3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

4. Once the dough is ready, top with a thin layer of pesto, half of the Fontina and mozzarella, chicken (I toss the chicken in enough pesto to coat to ensure it stays moist while the pizza is baking), artichokes, and the remaining Fontina and mozzarella.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool several minutes before slicing.

For the pesto:
1. Put the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan in a food processor and pulse until a chunky paste forms. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a steady stream and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Pesto recipe from A Good Appetite)

Sausage, Mushroom, and Pepper Pizza

December 16, 2009

Sometimes I get so excited to eat what I’ve created that I forget the finishing touches. Halfway through devouring this cheesy delightful pizza I realized I forgot to add the fresh basil. Such a shame. So I surreptitiously sprinkled some on top, after the pizza had cooled. Not the same, but better late than never. Don’t forget the basil (especially if you buy a 3$ bunch of it just for this occasion). It makes it this pizza marvelous (and particularly beautiful).

I have to tell you. Tomorrow we leave for a Christmas vacation. We’re on break from school for the next few weeks and so we’re heading to Oregon to spend the holidays with Dustin’s family. We’re quite excited because it’s been almost 2 years since we made the trip. But this does mean that I won’t be in my kitchen… for 2 weeks! We barely left last night (staying with my parents in DC today) and I’m already experiencing separation anxiety. In theory, I’m looking forward to a break from cooking, but I know I’m going to miss it very much. I’ve saved a few recipes to share, but my posts may come a little less often until I’m back and caught up.

Feeling sad about the impending separation? Need a comforting slice of cheesy pizza to cheer you up? This recipe will do. It combines classic pork sausage and fresh sauteed veggies for a pizza supreme. It’s cheesy, rather greasy, and livened up with fresh cut basil (if you don’t forget it!). Make sure to visit the link below for instructions on making the perfect pizza crust. It’s my most-utilized recipe on this site.

Sausage, Mushroom, and Pepper Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pizza dough
6-8 oz. sweet or spicy Italian pork sausage
1 cup onion, thinly sliced (I used 1/2 of a large white onion)
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
8 oz. mushroom mix (I used half cremini and half skitake), cleaned and quartered
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
about 1 cup pizza/marinara sauce
about 2 cups mozzarella cheese
fresh basil, julienned

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. Preheat oven to 450 F.

3. Remove casings from sausage and cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion, pepper, and mushrooms and saute until tender (about 8 minutes). Stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4. Once the crust is prepared, spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the crust. Top evenly with the sausage and mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with desired amount of cheese.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with fresh basil, and serve.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Pizza Margherita

July 2, 2009

Once upon a time in a land far far away, the Kingdom of Italy was ruled by a king and his Queen Margherita. During Margherita’s reign a gifted artisan baker crafted a pizza “whose red tomatoes, green basil, and white cheese represent the Italian flag”. The queen so loved the pizza that it was named Margherita in her honor (which actually means “daisy” in Italian). This traditional pizza is served to this day in Italy, and throughout the world. (This story brought to you by Wikipedia.)

I thank Queen Margherita for her good taste, without which I would not be enjoying such a fantastic pizza today. Like is the focus of most Italian food, pizza Margherita is all about using the freshest ingredients. You need four simple, fresco ingredients: tomatoes (Romas preferred), basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, and mozzarella. Don’t even think about using the bagged or pre-shredded or low moisture/low-fat cheese. You need a ball of fresh, moist, luxurious mozzarella. It’s the only way.

A slice of this breathtaking pizza will take you back to Naples…back to the birthplace of a culinary masterpiece that has found its way into your kitchen.

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pizza dough
Roma tomatoes, sliced (enough to cover surface of pizza)
handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
balsamic vinegar + extra virgin olive oil, for dipping

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare pizza dough according to directions.

2. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

3. Brush crust with olive oil. Layer tomatoes and mozzarella over crust. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with basil.

5. (Optional) Serve with a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil for dipping.

Makes 1 pizza.